Hasina, Khaleda stripped of special security

The special security provided to former prime ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina Wajed has been withdrawn by the caretaker government in Bangladesh.

The Special Security Force deployed with the leaders was withdrawn on Thursday night, but they were not officially notified, officials of Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Hasina's Awami League said on Friday.

Both the leaders, however, would continue to get police protection.

Under the law, a former prime minister and a former opposition leader gets special security for three months until the holding of general election.

But the January 22 elections were cancelled after a state of emergency was imposed by President Iajuddin and no new date for polls has been announced by Fakruddin Ahmed's government.

Abdul Jalil, general secretary of Awami League, said they were "seriously concerned" by the withdrawal of the special security and might request the government to reinstate the facility.

First Published: Feb 23, 2007 12:20 IST