Khaleda to lose state facilities

Source: Star file photo

Khaleda Zia

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is going lose all state facilities which she has enjoyed since 1991 either as prime minister or leader of the opposition in parliament.

Jatiya Party presidium member Raushan Ershad, who is all set to replace Khaleda as the opposition leader, will get the facilities.

Khaleda lost the post with oath taking of members of the 10th parliament and selection of a new leader of the opposition today, which is equivalent to the rank of a cabinet minister, well informed sources said.

Since restoration of country’s democracy in 1991 through the fall of military dictator HM Ershad, the two times prime minister and four times lawmakers Khaleda Zia had been enjoying state facilities either as prime minister or as opposition leader.

The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance and most of the political parties boycotted the January 5, 2014 controversial election. Since 2011, the opposition has been staging anti-government movement demanding the 10^th parliamentary polls under a non-party government, which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has rejected terming it unconstitutional.

Jatiya Party that bagged 33 seats in the January 5 election -- 20 of them elected unopposed -- in a meeting today at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban elected Raushan, wife of former military man turned politician, as opposition leader and chief of JP parliamentary party.

Interestingly, a JP influential leader close to ruling Awami League today told reporters that JP will also remain in the government alongside in the opposition bench.

The party is likely to send the resolution of the meeting informing Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and to take measures to this end, Mujibul Haque Chunnu, a JP lawmaker told The Daily Star today.

The government withdrew police protocol of Khaleda on December 28 while the ruling Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam today termed the BNP chief as former opposition leader.

As the opposition leader, the BNP chief maintained an office in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. She was also entitled to get a private secretary, an assistant private secretary, two personal assistants, three office assistants, three peons, a full-time chauffeur and all logistic supports for the office.

She was also entitled to get a cook and other supporting staffers in case of her staying at government residence. The BNP chief however resides at a rented house at the city’s Gulshan since 2010. The parliament canteen provides all entertainment facilities for the opposition leader.

According to the privilege act amended in 2010, the opposition leader gets monthly allowance of Tk 53, 100 and official residence that would be furnished at a cost of Tk 5 lakh. If she lived in her own residence, Khaleda Zia would have receives Tk 25,000 per month.

Before withdrawing her security protocol, Dhaka Metropolitan Police provided a security team comprising a head constable, one nayek and six constables. Besides, two gunmen from Special Branch were on duty round the clock at Khaleda’s residence.

As the opposition leader parliament secretariat also provided Khaleda with all utilities, including water, electricity, gas, and telephone and mobiles phone bills.  The transportation pool provides her two vehicles – one official car and an additional jeep for official business – at the government's expense.

In 1991, the year Khaleda was first elected MP from five constituencies in the fifth parliament and became leader of the House and prime minister. She became opposition leader in 1996 by winning the same number of seats. The BNP chairperson became prime minister again in the eighth parliament.

In the December 29, 2008 polls, Khaleda became the opposition leader as her party-led alliance won only 30 seats.