The former premier was scheduled to visit Sabina in Labaid Specialised Hospital in the capital at 4:00pm but law enforcers informed her just before she was to leave her house that she would not be able to go to the hospital for security reasons.

Meanwhile, Ashraf Hossain, joint secretary general of BNP, yesterday blamed Khaleda Zia for 'destroying the image of BNP by maintaining a dynasty within the party and by giving rise to allegations against her of smuggling money'.

"The chairperson wanted to visit Sabina Yasmin but the authorities discouraged her for security reasons," Mohiuddin Khan Mohon, personal aide to the BNP chairperson, told awaiting newsmen at the hospital after the cancellation of Khaleda's trip there yesterday.

Criticising the government's move, Maj (retd) Akhteruzzaman, a former lawmaker of BNP, who along with leaders and activists of the party had been waiting at the hospital to receive their chairperson, told the reporters, "It is not the government's duty to refrain Khaleda Zia from visiting the ailing singer."

"The government shocked a large section of the people of the country by its move," he said adding that the present government will be responsible for the act.

Earlier, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, former prime minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, and army chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed visited the ailing singer in the hospital.

On her way out of the hospital Hasina went on a tirade with ample media attention on her, against the Directorate of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), accusing the agency, known to many as the most powerful intelligence organisation of the country, of manipulating every aspect of the affairs of state and of administering tortures on detained former ministers, lawmakers and other detained big shots.

The allegations were however rebutted by the government the very next day.

According to sources, the authorities withdrew special branch officers from the hospital just few moments before Khaleda would start for the hospital from her cantonment residence yesterday. At the same time some officials informed her that she would not be able to go to the hospital for security reasons.

Khaleda Zia told the officials that she had no problem in going to the hospital without the presence of security personnel there, but the authorities concerned still did not allow her to leave her house, the sources said.