4-party slams 'plot to kill' Khaleda

A rally in front of the BNP central office at Naya Paltan in Dhaka yesterday protesting “assassination attempt” on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.Photo: STAR

The BNP-led four-party alliance yesterday held rallies in the capital and elsewhere in the country protesting what they called 'a plot to assassinate BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.'
Meanwhile, in Chittagong a BNP rally, organised to protest the 'attempt on Khaleda's life' was foiled following clashes between two factions of the party.
Pointing to the caretaker government, the alliance leaders alleged that a quarter with vested interest wants to assassinate BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia after failing to force her to quit politics.
The four-party leaders at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office said the popularity of BNP and the combine could not be brought down in spite of attempts to send Khaleda Zia into exile.
They also alleged that 'the plot to assassinate Khaleda' is aimed at making the country 'leaderless'.
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain demanded immediate arrest of the mastermind behind the 'plot to assassinate Khaleda Zia.'
He said any attempt to foil the next parliamentary elections would be resisted strongly.
BNP and its associate organisation Jubo Dal held protest rallies in city's Naya Paltan and Muktangan following the arrest of two suspected JMB men and seizure of grenades near the venue of Khaleda's rally in Comilla.
They also demanded that the government beef up Khaleda's security.
BNP leader Mirza Abbas, Khelafat Majlish leader ATM Ishak, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Tasnim Alam and Jasimuddun were also present.
A procession brought out by BNP from its central office paraded streets from Naya Paltan to Muktangan.
Islami Chhatra Shibir, student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, also brought out a procession and paraded various roads in the capital.
Our Chittagong Correspondent reports: The BNP activists loyal to Abdullah Al Noman, BNP candidate for Chittagong-9 constituency, gathered in front of the Zilla Parishad Market at Laldighi to attend the rally in the afternoon protesting the 'attempt on Khaleda's life.'
When BNP leader and former state minister Mir Nasir Uddin arrived there with his supporters, Noman's followers chased them forcing Nasir to take shelter at the Zilla Parishad Market.
On information, police rushed to the spot and charged baton on supporters of both the BNP leaders to bring the situation under control.
Assistant Commissioner (Kotwali) Babul Akhter said the police barred the BNP activists from holding the rally as they tried to hold it blocking the road.