Hours after the BNP and its allies called a 72-hour countrywide
strike, a large police force was deployed and members of the force
surrounded opposition leader Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office and
residence.
The news of the deployment has further escalated political tension
arising from the standoff between the two major political parties –
the AL and the BNP – over a poll-time non-party neutral government.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Gulshan Zone’s Assistant Commissioner
Nurul Amin has been quoted to have said that additional policemen were
deployed for the opposition leader’s safety.
A source at Khaleda’s office, however, said that police have asked
them to not come out of the office.
The fresh strike call came after 60-hour strikes in two successive
weeks as there was no headway for resolution of the political
stalemate.
The opposition alliance has also threatened a tougher movement
including blockade for to press its demand of having the 10th
parliamentary election under a non-party neutral government.
The Awami League scrapped the constitutional provision for
election-time neutral government through the 15th Amendment following
a High Court verdict.-bdnews24.com
