Khaleda skips campaign for today

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today did not go out for electioneering in favour of her party-backed mayoral candidates in two Dhaka city corporations as repairing to her damaged SUV is underway, sources said.

“A window of her SUV was badly damaged in yesterday’s attack. Work is going on to fix it. Besides, repairing works of other affected parts of the car is also underway,” an adviser to the BNP chief told The Daily Star this afternoon.

“In this backdrop, we have advised her not to go out for electioneering in the city today. She is likely to resume her electioneering tomorrow,” the adviser said wishing anonymity.

Khaleda’s Special Assistant Shimul Biswas told The Daily Star that she is not going out for electioneering today as at least nine of her security personnel were injured in the last three days’ attacks on her motorcade by the ruling part men.

Allegedly Awami League and its front organisations especially Bangladesh Chhatra League men pelted brickbats, stones to the BNP chief’s motorcade on April 20 and April 22 in the capital while she was electioneering in favour of her party backed mayoral candidates Tabith Awal and Mirza Abbas for Dhaka North and South city corporations.

The Daily Star has identified about a dozen of the attackers involved in Karwan Bazar incident from the photos and footage run by different newspapers and TV channels.

Most of them are leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League's associated bodies and Chhatra League men from ward-26, Tejgaon and Dhaka Polytechnic Institute.

Chhatra League leaders and activists played the leading role in the two attacks, according to witnesses.