The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Former premier and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday alleged that Awami League started its actual journey towards 'change' with politics of killing, attack, arson and loot across the country.

"You're observing what is happening across the country. Does it mean change? Do people want it?" she said in her maiden remarks at a time when her political archrival, AL president Sheikh Hasina, formed the government yesterday.

She made the allegation while talking to journalists after visiting family members of Nazrul Islam, a leader of Jatiyatabadi Swecchasebak Dal, who was shot dead on Monday afternoon.

Begum Zia reached the residence of the slain Islam at about 7pm and talked to his bereaved family members to console them. He passed nearly half an hour at his residence.

She demanded "immediate arrest of the culprits involved in the brutal killing".

Unknown assailants shot dead Nazrul Islam, president of 56 Ward unit of the BNP associate, at 3:30pm Monday.

Khaleda, whose party lost the election in its stunning result, has stayed away along with her party Members of Parliament from taking oath as MPs.

She also didn't attend the installation ceremony of the Hasina government. A four-member delegation of BNP MPs-elect joined the function, instead.