No food for staff in 4 days
For the fourth consecutive day, police did not allow food meant for the staff of BNP chief's Gulshan office to be sent in.
Law enforcers intercepted a CNG-run auto-rickshaw carrying lunch when it reached the office at 12:20pm, said Syrul Kabir Khan, a member of the BNP chief's media wing.
“They did not allow the supplies to enter,” he told The Daily Star. However, food supply for the BNP chief remains uninterrupted, office insiders said.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Shahidul Hoque claimed yesterday that food items went in Khaleda's office regularly. The police chief also said they had information that Khaleda was taking food and was physically well.
Kabir said they had brought three regular meals in the last four days every day, but police blocked the supply every time. “It is a cruel action to any human being,” he observed.
Sources said the BNP office had earlier brought the food by a rickshaw van; yesterday they used a CNG-run auto-rickshaw in a futile attempt to avoid police interception.
The law enforcers did not respond when The Daily Star correspondent tried to talk to them about it.
In a written statement, BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed yesterday alleged that the government was trying to “kill” Khaleda through unofficial house arrest.
He called upon the United Nations Human Rights Commission to take proper steps immediately.
Insiders at Khaleda's office claim everyone is living on dry food, the supply of which is running out fast.
They have also said the stock of dry food would be finished within two to three days and it would be very tough for them to live in the office if things went on like that.
More than 50 people including BNP Vice-Chairman Selima Rahman and Mohila Dal Secretary Shirin Sultana have been staying at the office.
It is believed to be the government's move to put pressure on Khaleda so that she calls off her countrywide agitation programmes. During this movement at least 69 people have been killed in violence.
Khaleda has been living in her office with her office staff and a number of leaders since January 3. The police on January 5 prevented her from going out to observe “democracy killing day” and confined her for more than two weeks.
On January 31, power supply, cable, land phone and mobile connections to her office were snapped. However, the authorities restored the power supply that day and the mobile network last week.
On the law enforcers' interception of food supply, State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said, “The allegation is not realistic.”
He made the comment while talking to the BBC Bangla service yesterday. The minister said they did not issue any such instruction to the law enforcers.
“Food and different food ingredients are regularly being supplied to the office. They have a kitchen and a cook inside and are preparing their meals every day,” he claimed.
When his attention was drawn to the fact that journalists had observed food supply being stopped, he said it happened only once.
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