Leg pain keeps Khaleda from food distribution

BNP chief Khaleda Zia yesterday refrained from distributing food among the destitute in the capital on the occasion of party founder and former president Ziaur Rahman's 33rd death anniversary as she has been suffering from leg pain since her return from Munshiganj trip on Wednesday.
 “Braving her leg pain and fatigue due to her Munshiganj visit, the BNP chairperson attended the food distribution programme on Friday at 25 spots across the capital, and it caused deterioration of her physical condition,” Khaleda's press secreatry Maruf Kamal Khan told The Daily Star.
He also said the doctor had advised her to take rest for 72 hours.
Khaleda instructed senior leaders to attend the food distribution programme on her behalf.
The BNP has planned a three-day food distribution programme from Friday marking the death anniversary of Zia, also husband of Khaleda.
Talking to reporters after distributing food at the city's Kuril, Fakhrul yesterday said there was no alternative to holding a fresh national election under a non-party administration to resolve the political crisis.
BNP standing committee members ASM Hannan Shah, Mirza Abbas, Rafiqul Islam Miah and Nazrul Islam Khan, Khaleda's adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo also distributed food separately at different parts of the capital.
POLICE IN SHAFIQ REHMAN'S HOUSE
Meanwhile, police yesterday took position inside senior journalist Shafiq Rehman's house compound in the capital for around seven hours on the pretext of ensuring his security.
“Around 30 police members including four females entered my residence around 8:00am. When asked, an official said they came only to ensure my security as many people might gather on the occasion of food distribution by Khaleda Zia in front of my residence,” Rehman told The Daily Star.
“But when I informed a police officer that Khaleda Zia was not coming here due to her illness, he [the cop] said they came to my house on the instructions of the higher authority.” The police personnel left the residence around 3:00pm, he added.