Bangladesh Police confine Khaleda Zia, ban rallies ahead of 1st poll anniversary

DHAKA: Bangladesh police today banned all protest rallies in the capital and confined opposition leader Khaleda Zia to her office amid fears of violence during the first anniversary of the controversial elections boycotted by the former premier's party.

Zia, the chief of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party who had refused to participate in the January 5 polls last year branding it as "farce", remained cordoned off inside her Gulshan office here since last night. Security forces, including women police, were deployed outside the building.

"She (Zia) had been barred by police from leaving the office...She had been confined (at her office) against her will," 69-year-old Zia's special assistant Shimul Biswas told reporters.

But police spokesman Monirul Islam rejected the allegation and said, "She has not been confined in any way, rather her security was beefed up...she could have gone home last night if she wanted."

The opposition is planning to hold nationwide rallies to mark the first anniversary of what they describe as "Democracy Killing Day".

Police today banned all rallies in the capital "until further order" to maintain law and order situation as the ruling Awami League is also scheduled to stage rallies coinciding with the anniversary.

"The ban will come into force from 5:00pm today and will be effective until further notice...the ban will be effective irrespective of any political party," the police said.

BNP had boycotted the polls, saying it was manipulated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government.

Witnesses said sand-laden trucks and police cars blocked the main entrance to Zia's office virtually preventing anyone from leaving the building.

Zia did not appear before the newsmen and TV cameras at the office premises but TV footages showed a number of women leaders with her this morning.

Police also locked up the BNP headquarters at Naya Paltan area in central Dhaka removing the activists from the office and picking up BNP's joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Police took an apparently ailing Rizvi to a private hospital in an ambulance where he was admitted for abdominal ailments while laying a siege around the two offices of BNP.

Early today, police also raided the Uttara residence of BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. However, he was not to be found, reports said.

The development came as the BNP-led 20-party alliance prepared for a massive gathering at Nayapaltan.

With both the parties preparing to hold rallies in the capital, authorities fear a possible face-off between the two groups on the first anniversary of the polls.