Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-More than 19 hours after severing the electricity service to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office, the Bangladesh government restored it Saturday.
Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (DESCO), the state-owned power supply company, had disconnected the power connection to the house of Khaleda, a former premier of the country, around 2:45am without showing any legal reason.
The BNP chief has been staying in her Gulshan office since January 3.
More than six hour after severing the power line, the authorities concerned disconnect the cable and internet services and also jammed the mobile phone network to the Khaleda’s office.
DESCO disconnected the electricity line to Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office on instruction of top authorities of Gulshan Police, Moksed Ali, a lineman of the DESCO, told reporters without elaborating the incident.
Nearly one hour after the disconnection of power supply, the staff of Khaleda’s office started a generator, said Shamsuddin Didar, a staff of BNP chairperson’s media wing.
The Base Transceiver Stations around the BNP chief’s office, have been made inactive, said an executive of a leading internet operator.
The BTRC had ordered them to do so, the executive said seeking anonymity.
The office staff found the cable network snapped when they turned on the TV around 9:00am, Didar added.
The internet connection was also cut off while the mobile network was jammed, Didar said.
The action was taken after Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan allegedly threatened Khaleda saying that if the BNP chief does not withdraw the non-stop blockade and strike before the SSC exam, the electricity and the water supply lines to her residence will be disconnected.
The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations are scheduled to begin from February 2.
Within an hour of the minister’s speech, the BNP-led 20-party alliance announced a 72-hour strike in Bangladesh that is scheduled to start from Sunday.
BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the announcement.
Meanwhile, police arrested Rizvi from a house in the capital’s Baridhara area early Saturday.
The BNP-led 20-party alliance has been enforcing nationwide non-stop roads and waterways blockade coupled with frequent strike since January 5 demanding a fresh election.
The alliances also protest the confinement of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her party Gulshan office and arrest of party leaders and activists.
Khaleda called the blockade after she was barred from coming out of her Gulshan office on January 5.
BNP said its party chief was “confined” but the government denied the allegation though it had put additional law enforcers and sand-laden trucks in front of Khaleda’s office.
The government however removed the security barriers after 16 days on January 19.
So far, at least 40 people, mostly innocent, were killed and dozens including law enforcers injured in the mindless act of arson and petrol bomb attacks across the country during the blockade and strike.
Hundreds of vehicles were also torched and vandalised during the political agitation.
BBN/SSR/AD-31Jan15-10:30pm (BST)
