Three ministers have dropped a hint about taking tough action against Khaleda Zia saying that the government might even go so far as to arrest her, if needed.
When asked about the rumour of Khaleda’s house arrest, the Environment and Forests Minister Hasan Mahmud, after a meeting in his office with acting US ambassador to Dhaka John Danilowcz, said: “If Khaleda Zia is under house arrest how she can hold meeting with her party leaders. But the government may consider it, if needed, to ensure public safety.”
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu urged the opposition to join the dialogue at a discussion at the press club on Sunday. He, however, on Saturday told reporters at Dhaka University that the government might arrest Khaleda.
“The five opposition leaders were arrested as they instigated violence during the shutdowns. They can’t avoid the liability. We have invited the opposition to unconditional talks,” he said.
State Minister for Law Qamrul Islam on Sunday warned the opposition saying: “Opposition leader Khaleda Zia may also be arrested like other senior BNP leaders if the opposition-sponsored shutdowns descend into anarchy.”
“The opposition has become a threat to lives and properties of people. Khaleda Zia and other top BNP leaders, too, will have to suffer the same fate if this trend continues,” he said at a discussion held at the National Press Club.
Many people were killed, scores of others were injured and a large number of vehicles were damaged during the two previous 60-hour hartals by the opposition.
The additional police forces were deployed in front of the opposition leader Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan house after arresting five senior leaders of the BNP on Friday night.
But BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press conference in the afternoon alleged that in the name of additional security, the BNP chief had been left into insecurities.
However, Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Sunday told reporters at the ministry: “BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is not under house arrest. The government only strengthened security measures for ensuring her safety.”
Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authorities have withdrawn all the additional security forces from in front of the residence of Khaleda and her political office in the capital’s Gulshan on Sunday, on the third day of the deployment.
“Withdrawal of additional security forces started since the morning as per the directives of the higher authorities,” said Khandaker Lutfiul Kabir, deputy commissioner at Gulshan Division of the DMP.