Bangladesh opposition demands enhanced protection for leader

Dhaka - Bangladesh's main opposition party on Friday demanded enhanced security for their leader Khaleda Zia after two homemade bombs exploded in front of her office earlier this week. At least one person was injured in the Tuesday attack, local media reported. Zia and other Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders were inside at the time.

"We are deeply concerned about the two recent bomb attacks on BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and the party leaders demanded deployment of Special Security Force (SSF) to secure her life," BNP co-founder Nazrul Islam Khan said at a press conference.

Bangladesh's president and prime minister are usually given SSF protection under the special security force law.

But parliament recently passed another law guaranteeing just the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed and her family members SSF protection. Reasons given for the change included the 1975 assassination of Wazed's father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with most of his family. Attempts have also been made on Wazed's life.

Khan demanded new legislation to give Zia SSF protection.

"A law was passed stipulating the government to provide the prime minister and her family members with protection by special security force. Therefore, a similar law should be passed to provide security to the three-time elected premier Khaleda Zia," Khan said.

Zia served as prime minister from 1991 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2006. After a disputed election in February 2006 she remained in office as prime minister for less than a month.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/311498,bangladesh-opposition-demands-enhanced-protection-for-leader.html.