BNP leaders, activists skip visiting Khaleda\\\'s office

BNP leaders and activists refrain from visiting their party Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office apparently for fear of arrest as the security around it was reinforced on Monday morning following some latest developments.

A UNB report said, plainclothes police have taken a strong position in front of the main gate of the office, barring anybody, including journalists, from getting in and out since morning.

Some BNP leaders and activists used to frequent the Gulshan office every day, but no one was seen coming to the office area at road No-86 of Gulshan-2 as of 5pm Monday, following the arrest of BNP chairperson's adviser Mosaddek Ali Falu on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, the law enforcers picked up a youth, Mazharul Islam, outside Khaleda's office gate around 12:15pm.

Mazhar who identified himself as a businessman, had been there to present Khaleda a Citycell mobile phone set as the cell phones of other operators have been off the network in the area.

"The law enforcers took control of the main gate of the BNP chief's office in the morning. They're not allowing anyone to enter it," Khaleda's press-wing member Shamsuddin Didar said.

He said the authorities concerned were yet to restore the internet and cable connections to the BNP chief's office.

Didar said mobile communications through some operators remained disrupted in the office area while telephone and fax machines at the office have gone out of order.

Hours after Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan's threat to snap all the utility services to the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office, the authorities concerned cut off power connection to it early Saturday.