Khaleda sets off for Khulna

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has set off for Khulna to attend rally there at Shibbari intersection of the city.

The opposition leader is set to address this division level meeting at 3pm this afternoon.

Her motorcade left her Shaheed Mainul Road residence inside the Dhaka Cantonment at around 8am.

BNP vice president Selima Rahman is accompanying her in the same vehicle.

Khaleda's press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan confirmed bdnews24.com of her departure.

He said that she is scheduled to address the Shibbari rally following lunch at the Khulna Circuit House.

Khulna is the second in line of six such rallies that BNP has planned in divisional headquarters to infuse dynamism into the main opposition's ranks.

The series of six kicked off with a large rally at Laldighi Maidan, Chittagong on Mar 29.

Khaleda told that rally that the military-controlled interim regime that was in power between January 2007 and December 2008 had tried to drug her with sedatives.

"They tried to inject me with sleeping drugs and force me into exile."

A few days before that, prime minister Sheikh Hasina told the parliament that during the tenure of the same regime, that government had tried to 'slow poison' her.

This will be the first time that Khaleda attends a public meeting in Khulna since the 2008 national elections.

Tariqul Islam, member of BNP's standing committee, told bdnews24.com from Khulna that Khaleda was expected to speak on the despicable state of utilities, deteriorating law and order situation and essentials' prices.

BNP is expected to hold similar rallies in Rajshahi, Barisal, Sylhet and Rangpur after the one in Khulna.

The series will culminate with a grand rally in Dhaka's Paltan Maidan, said Tariqul.