BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia waves at party leaders and members while leaving her Gulshan residence for Sylhet on Monday; February 5, 2018 | BNP's Facebook pageSylhet BNP leaders alleged that law enforcement personnel had obstructed party supporters from gathering on the side of the road in different areas to welcome Khaleda and took down many archways set up to commemorate her visit.
They also alleged that a number of leaders and activists were also detained on Monday.
Khaleda’s one-day trip, however, has rejuvenated the local BNP supporters, even though it was not meant to launch the party’s campaign for the next national election. Leaders and activists of party from all upazilas in Sylhet Division’s four districts had come to the city to welcome her.
The sheer number of people had also led to rare traffic congestions in the city.
The last time she visited the north-eastern district was on October 4, 2013, when she also addressed a rally of BNP-led 20-party alliance.
BNP supporters in Brahmanbaria cheer for the party chief when a motorcade carrying her and her entourage reaches Brahmanbaria en route to Sylhet on Monday; February 5, 2018 | Dhaka TribuneLocal leaders had put up numerous billboards and banners on both sides of the roads her convoy used in the district. Hundreds of party supporters chanted slogans for their leader when she crossed the areas on her way to the Circuit House and the shrines.
Khaleda wrapped her trip and left for Dhaka around 9:15pm after having dinner at the Circuit House, according to Sylhet district BNP unit chief Abul Kaher Chowdhury Shamim.
There would be no briefing from her or regarding her trip, he added.
A Dhaka special court on January 25 had fixed February 8 to deliver its verdict in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission against Khaleda and five others.
The BNP chief will be disqualified for the next general polls if she is convicted in the case.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia among party leaders and activists near the entrance of the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet city on Monday, February 5, 2018 | Dhaka TribuneOn the way
Additional law enforcement personnel were seen deployed at different important points on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway over Khaleda's Sylhet tour. After Khaleda’s 30-car motorcade left Dhaka, it crossed Narsigndi around 11am. Police did not let the BNP supporters gather across the highway to welcome her, reported our district correspondent. However, hundreds of enthusiastic BNP supporters in Brahmanbaria chanted slogans from the side of the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway for their leader when the convoy reached Khatihata Sopan Filling Station area around 12:30pm. But, talking to the Dhaka Tribune, some BNP activists accused the law enforcement personnel of attempting to keep them off the highway. Narsingdi police also detained 12 BNP members including the party’s Legal Affairs Secretary Sanaullah Miah, also Khaleda’s legal counsel. He was released couple of hours later. When contacted, the district’s Detective Branch OC Syedur Rahman, however, denied confirming Sanaullah’s detention. Police had also foiled an attempt of hurling shoes targeting the BNP motorcade by local leaders and activists of different affiliated organizations of ruling Awami League. Apart from minor clashes between BNP supporters and law enforcers at Bhairab and several other areas, Khaleda’s convoy had reached Sylhet in the afternoon without any difficulty.‘Trip not to launch polls campaign’
Earlier in the morning, BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told UNB their chairperson would not launch her party’s next election campaign from Sylhet like Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “The election will be held around a year later so there is no scope to begin the campaign now. How will she conduct the campaign since a level playing field is not yet created?” he said. Khasru alleged that the ruling party and its allies started their election campaign unilaterally without creating equal scope for all parties to do so. On January 30, Hasina, also the Awami League president, launched her party’s campaign from Sylhet for the upcoming national election slated for December this year. Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad also formally launched his party’s election campaign from Sylhet.
A section of BNP and it's associate organizations' members gather across Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in Narsingdi to welcome the party chief's motorcade on Monday; February 5, 2018 | Dhaka TribuneKhaleda on Monday, however, was accompanied with the senior BNP leaders including Standing Committee Members Amir Khasru, Abdul Moyeen Khan and Mirza Abbas, Vice-Chairman Shahjahan Omar, Joint Secretaries General Barkat Ullah Bulu and Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, and Publicity Affairs Secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie and other central leaders.
Local BNP leaders, including Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury, also accompanied them during her stay at Sylhet Circuit House and visits to the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal and Hazrat Shah Paran.
On Sunday, local leaders had alleged that police raided the houses of BNP men while the administration asked them not to carry out any campaign through loudspeakers ahead of and during Khaleda’s visit.Also Read- BNP: Sylhet authorities obstructing preparations for Khaleda’s visit
