The BNP on Tuesday briefed the diplomats of 16 countries and the EU stationed in Dhaka about Monday’s attack on its chairperson Khaleda Zia’s motorcade in the city’s Karwanbazar area during her electioneering.
A four-member delegation of BNP, led by its standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, elaborately narrated the incident during a 45-minute meeting that began at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan political office around 4:15pm. Meanwhile, Khaleda Zia’s motorcame under attack The other members of the delegations are BNP chairperson’s advisers Sabihuddin Ahmed, Abdul Quaym and party’s international affairs secretary Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury.
Ambassador and representatives of 16 countries, including Japan, the UK, Russia, France, Australia, Canada, Turkey, Singapore, Denmark, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, India and Pakistan and the EU attended the meeting.
After the meeting, the BNP leaders and Khaleda Zia’s chief security coordinator Fazle Elahi Akbar showed the foreign envoys a scratch in the glass of the BNP chief’s personal vehicle caused by what they claimed a bullet of attackers in Krawanbazar. The BNP leaders also showed them garbage thrown to her vehicle and blood spots in the vehicle.
Four microbuses of Khaleda’s security men ‘damaged by the attackers’ during the melee were also shown to the diplomats.
Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom expressed concern over the reports of violent incidents and laid emphasis on required steps to ensure that the campaign is conducted without violence or intimidation.
In a statement, British High Commissioner in Dhaka Robert W Gibson noted with concern reports of violent incidents that have occurred during the past two weeks of campaigning for city corporation elections in Dhaka and Chittagong.
A group of miscreants attacked Khaleda Zia’s motorcade during her electioneering in the city’s Karwanbazar area in favour of her party-backed Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayoral candidate Tabith Awal on Monday afternoon.
Both BNP and Awami League filed two cases with Tejgaon Police Station accusing each other of carrying out the attack on Tuesday. – UNB
