With opposition leader Khaleda Zia being confined to her residence at Dhaka’s Gulshan area for the last six days, her party alleged that she was placed under ‘house arrest’, a claim refused by the government.
Two senior ministers said in the last two days that the opposition leader was not placed under ‘house arrest’. Environment Minster Hasan Mahmud even questioned how U.S. Ambassador Dan W. Mozena, British High Commissioner Robert Gibson and senior party leaders met Ms. Zia if she was under house arrest.
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu explained the government needed to issue a notification if it wanted to keep anyone under house arrest. But no such notification had been issued.
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The claim of Ms. Zia’s house arrest came as she was not allowed by the police to attend the December 29 ‘March for Democracy’.
Ms. Zia’s house has been cordoned off by heavy contingents of police till December 28.
Senior police officials were quoted by the media as saying that the additional police was put up only to ensure ‘security’ of the opposition leader.
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The BNP on Thursday sought intervention of the Parliament speaker Shirin Sarmin Chowdhury in resolving the crisis centring the ‘virtual confinement’ of Ms. Zia.
The opposition delegation will meet President Abdul Hamid on Friday.