BNP leaders and activists on Wednesday formed a human chain in the city demanding the release of their Chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail and her proper treatment.
Several hundred leaders and followers of the party formed the human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club around 12:15pm, 15 minutes before the scheduled time, which ended at 1:30pm.
They chanted various slogans demanding Khaleda Zia's immediate release and her proper treatment.
Huge law enforcers were deployed around the Jatiya Press Club to fend off any trouble.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and its standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Mirza Abbas, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul I Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, vice chairmen Shamsuzzamn Dudu, AZM Zahid Hossain and Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the programme.
Amid the party's worry over Khaleda's illness, a BNP delegation, led by Fakhrul, met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Tuesday at its Secretariat office and got assurance from him to take every necessary step for ensuring Khaleda's proper treatment.
Later, the Home Minister said Khaleda will be taken to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) very soon for her medical test.
At their human chain programme, the BNP leaders apparently opposed the government's decision as they want Khaleda to be taken to any private hospital like United Hospital.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been in jail since a special court convicted her in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on February 8 last year, reports UNB.