South Asia bureau chief of the New York Times Ellen Barry was barred from meeting BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, claimed the party.
According to the party’s Press Wing, police also barred Khaleda’s adviser Riaz Rahman from Chairperson’s audience on Friday evening.
Press Wing Official of BNP Chairperson Shayrul Kabir Khan told the Dhaka Tribune: "On-duty police at Khaleda’s Gulshan living obstructed the journo and the advisor."
Few days back, government had deployed additional police force around BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan residence.The news came hours after a delegation of BNP Parliamentary Party requested President Abdul Hamid to ask the government to clarify whether the opposition leader was under house arrest.
They made the request during a meeting with the president at Bangabhaban on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, another BNP delegation held a meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament Shirin Sharmin Choudhury on the same issue.
After the meeting, the speaker asked the authority concerned to ensure highest security of Khaleda Zia without inconveniencing her.
Upon the query of the speaker, Shamsul Hoque Tuku, the state minister, said Khaleda was neither arrested, nor confined or under house arrest that all such actions warranted a legal procedure.
Khaleda Zia has remained "confined" inside her Gulshan residence since Saturday.
