AL MPs barred from seeing CPA delegates at Sonargaon

"Security personnel took away the gifts and a briefcase containing the letters from one of the lawmakers and kept them waiting at the entrance to the hotel for over two hours," Deputy Opposition Leader Abdul Hamid told reporters at a press conference at the party's Dhanmondi office yesterday.

Hamid said party deputies Faruque Khan, Dr Abdur Razzak and Tanjim Ahmed Sohel went to hand over Hasina's letters and crests of boat, the main opposition party's election symbol, to heads of delegations from Commonwealth countries.

Hamid wrote a letter to CPA Secretary General Denis Marshall, apprising him of the 'government acts of harassment'.

He alleged that securitymen confined the lawmakers in the entrance from 10:00pm to 12:30am.

"If they found any objectionable substance, they could take the briefcase. It was not their job to block lawmakers' way to CPA leaders," Hamid said.

Faruque, an opposition whip, was also present at the press conference and said the incident proved that there was no democracy in Bangladesh.

He said three British lawmakers saw the whole incident. "Wasn't the country's image tarnished by such behaviour?" he asked.

Sohel said they were kept waiting as if they were under 'spot arrest'.

Hamid took a swipe at the government for 'widespread mismanagement at the CPA conference' that included non-playing of the national anthem at its launch and hoisting of the national flags of some countries upside down.

AL leaders Syed Ashraful Islam, Ashim Kumar Ukil, Nuh Alam Lenin and BM Mojammel Huq were present at the press conference.