150 BNP men allowed to visit Zia's grave
Staff Correspondent
The government finally decided to allow a maximum of 150 leaders and activists of BNP to accompany party Chairperson Khaleda Zia during her visit to the grave of late president Ziaur Rahman to offer Fateha on his death anniversary tomorrow. The authorities concerned also gave BNP permission to hold milad mahfil at the graveyard as well as in the districts across the country. The party, however, will not be allowed to hold any discussion or memorial meeting. "BNP leaders told me that they will not violate the emergency rules or deliver any speech or statement," Law Adviser Mainul Hosein told the reporters yesterday. "They [BNP leaders] assured me and I assured my colleagues. And so, they took the decision," he said. Earlier on Sunday, a BNP delegation led by its Vice President and former minister MK Anwar met law adviser Mainul Hosein at his residence and requested him to allow them to hold a discussion meeting to mark the death anniversary of the founder of their party. They also urged the government to allow about 200 leaders and activists to accompany the party chief at the grave of Ziaur Rahman and arrange milad mahfil and feast for the poor. The government decided to allow 150 persons to accompany the party chief at the graveyard and arrange milad mahfil there and at the districts across the country. But the government did not agree to allow holding discussion and suggested the BNP leaders to sent food to the orphanage instead of organising feast for the poor. Previously the government decided to allow only 10 to 15 leaders to accompany Khaleda Zia at the graveyard. President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and chiefs of three services will pay tribute to the late president on his death anniversary.
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