Denying home-made food for Khaleda Zia ‘inhuman’: BNP

Denying home-made food for Khaleda Zia ‘inhuman’: BNP

Dhaka, Aug 23 (Just News): BNP on Wednesday termed the attitude of the jail authorities as 'inhuman' for denying its chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's relatives to take home-made food for her on the Eid-ul-Azha day.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir voiced anger against the jail authorities' action.

"Her (Khaleda Zia) family members took home-made food for her as per discussion with the authorities, but only six relatives of her were allowed to meet her and they were not permitted to take the food. It is an unprecedented incident," he said.

The BNP leader said what the attitude was shown towards Khaleda Zia, who is three times former prime minister and two times opposition leader, is inhuman. "We strongly protest and condemn it."

Fakhrul alleged that the jail officials told the BNP chief's relatives that they could not allow the food inside as per the directives of the high officials.

He said the government is showing its repressive and suppressive attitude towards its opponents.
"It is in no way acceptable," he further said.

Earlier in the day, only six relatives of the BNP chief-were allowed to meet her in the jail.

Khaleda Zia's sister Selina Islam, her husband professor Rofiqul Islam, sister-in-law Nasrin Iskandar, daughter-in-law Sharmila Rahman and granddaughter Jahiya Rahman and Tarique Rahman's sister-in-law Sahina Zaman Bindu entered in the jail around 3:35 pm and had passed around an hour there.

Earlier, senior BNP leaders, including standing committee members and vice chairmen, along with several hundred leaders and activists headed for the jail gate around 12 pm to meet Khaleda Zia.

Police, however, obstructed them nearly half a kilometre away from the jail gate as they had no permission from the jail authorities to meet Khaleda Zia.

After waiting for half an hour, the BNP leaders left the place failing to meet her.
On February 8, Khaleda Zia was sent to jail after a special court sentenced her to five years' rigorous imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.Khaleda Zia has been staying at the jail with her domestic help Fatema Begum.

The BNP chief earlier celebrated eid twice in jail after her arrest by the army-backed caretaker government after the 1/11 political changeover in 2007.

(Justnews/ys/1430hr)