Staff Reporter :
Diplomats of different countries in Bangladesh and several others on Sunday visited BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office following the death of her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko.
Although they could not meet Khaleda Zia, the diplomats signed the condolence book being kept at the office. The condolence book was opened on Saturday night. The diplomats conveyed sympathy to the BNP Chief and her family members. BNP claimed that the diplomats and others could not meet Khaleda Zia as she was in bed rest with sedation.
British High Commissioner in Dhaka Robert W Gibson, Chargé d’ Affaires at the US Embassy David Meale, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jun, Egyptian Ambassador in Dhaka Mahmoud Ezzat, Saudi Ambassador Dr. Abdullah Bin Naser Al-Busairi, Palestinian Ambassador Shayer Mohammad and Pakistani Hish Commissioner Afrasiab Mehedy Hashemy Quraishy separately visited the Gulshan office in the evening.
BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, vice chairman Selima Rahman and Khaleda Zia’s press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel received the diplomats at the office.
On the other hand, former President and chief of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh Prof Dr AQM Badrudduza Chowdhury, convener of Nagorik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna also visited the office to meet the BNP chief, but they also could not meet her.
Coming out the office, B’ Chowdhury said that he could not meet the BNP chief as she was under sedation as per doctor’s advice.
About Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s going back from the Gulshan office as the main gate of the office kept locked from inside, he said that the key of the lock was not in the hands of the BNP. The government locked the gate and the key was in its hand. “How the BNP men will open the gate without key? They could not open the gate for not having the key,” he said.
He also expressed concern over implicating Khaleda Zia in a case on the day of her son’s death.
