DHAKA: The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) lawmakers staged a human-chain demonstration in front of the National Parliament House on Wednesday morning against the arrest of Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annee MP.

Opposition Chief Whip Jainal Abedin Farrouk led the protest by 24 BNP lawmakers, at a time when the Jatiya Sangsad passed the national budget.
 
As announced, the former ruling party staged the demonstrations against government’s ‘unfair action’ and demanding immediate release of the detained BNP leaders and workers, including lawmaker Annee, who is among those held during Sunday’s hartal hullabaloo.

During the procession, Jainal said, “Police can’t arrest a parliament member without Speaker’s permission. But they arrested Annee on hartal day, the 27th of June, without informing the Speaker.”

He added: “Police and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists launched a combined attack on Annee during the June 27 hartal in Shahbag area in the city. Later, police arrested him from the bed of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.”  

Earlier, the opposition leaders led by Jainal met the Speaker and demanded Annee’s immediate release from custody.

BDST: 1212, 30 June 2010