Controversy over Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s inability to see Bnp chief Khaleda Zia to sympathise with her at the death of her son Arafat Rahman continued in table talks and telephone calls across the country on Sunday.
People who participated in tv talk shows mostly said Khaleda’s office should have shown due respect to the Prime Minister as she went upto their gate.BNP standing c committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed yesterday said it was not proper not to show the due curtsey to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when she went to visit Khaleda Zia to console her following the death of her youngest son.
The BNP leader however said when the Prime Minister came ot visit her the former premier Khaleda was unaware of it as she was almost senseless.
“None of us could meet her and it was not possible to convey to her the arrival of the Prime Minister as her (Khaleda) door was closed,” he said.
He made this comment to journalists while going out of BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office at 8:00pm yesterday.
Moudud said they were not aware about the main entrance to the office was locked. The main gate was locked earlier beyond the knowledge of senior party leaders. Similar opinion was expressed by another Bnp standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman.
Sheikh Hasina, who is also the president of ruling Awami League on late Saturday evening went to Khaleda’s office at 8:35pm but she could not enter the office since the entrance was locked. She returned after waiting here for several minutes.
Earlier, briefing reporters BNP chairperson’s special assistant Shimul Biswas said when the Prime Minister’s office conveyed the infroamtion about the PM’s willingness to see the former PM he told them Khaleda Zia was put to sleep by injecting sedative as she was extremely upset by the loss of her son.
He said the PM office was also told that Prime Minister may meet Khaleda anytime when she recovered from her sickness.
Many believed that even a chance meeting would have had the opportunity of paving the way for reaching a dialogue between the two major parties to resolve the current political impasse.
Another Bnp source however said that normally the Special Security force takes control any house where the PM goes several hours before her arrival with a view to ensuring her security. In this case not only the main gate of Khaleda’s party office, but also doors of all other rooms of the building should have been under the control of the security force. – Staff Reporter
