It is a nervy siege; the capital has been wrapped in an unprecedented security blanket.
Alongside a huge number of regular law enforcers, the government yesterday deployed paramilitary forces in Dhaka and elsewhere ahead of the verdict in a corruption case against Khaleda expected today.
In the capital alone, 20 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel (each platoon has 10-20 members) were deployed last evening. Another 23 platoons have been called in for deployment in other districts.
Police set up check posts in the city and all entry points of the capital, and searched people. They also raided different places including mess, hotels and houses of BNP leaders and workers.
Vigilance has been increased and intelligence agencies have been active since the special court set the date for the verdict. Awami League men will also be on the streets to prevent the opposition party activists from “resorting to violence” centring on the judgment.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police said it would deploy majority of its 35,000-strong force alongside members of Rab and other agencies. Usually, some 8,000 members of the DMP are deployed.
All measures are aimed at preventing BNP men from staging demonstration or carry out any act of sabotage, as the party planned a large gathering in the capital during the court proceedings.
The home minister, inspector general of police and the DMP commissioner warned of tougher actions against troublemakers.
“We hope that the law and order will be normal and under control across the country. If anyone tries to disrupt law and order and public safety, law enforcers will handle it strictly,” IGP Javed Patwary told reporters at the police headquarters.
Khaleda Zia will likely leave her Gulshan residence for the special court at Bakshibazar around 10:00am, an hour before the court is expected to deliver the verdict.
At a press conference yesterday afternoon, the former prime minister alleged that the court was being “abused” to to keep her from the election. She also urged her party men to continue their peaceful and systematic programmes.
She faces up to life term in prison. Unless the High Court stays the trial court verdict, Khaleda will be ineligible for the parliament polls slated for December if she is sentenced to at least two years in jail.
Security has been beefed up around the special court. The DMP and the Rab installed CCTV cameras inside and outside the court premises yesterday.
Fearing violence, authorities of many schools and private offices have decided to remain closed, and people from different districts cancelled their trips to the capital.
Police checked inter-district buses in efforts to prevent BNP activists from coming to Dhaka.
In the last seven days, police arrested an additional 60 people a day, compared with usual average, said the IGP.
Police normally arrest some 2,500 people across the country every month.
As part of the ongoing crackdown on BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists across the country, police arrested at least 400 BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists from Tuesday night to early Wednesday. Number of arrested people in many districts could not be known immediately.
Of them, 150 were arrested in Chittagong, 79 in Comilla, 54 in Brahmanbaria, 50 in Bagerhat, 45 in Tangail, 11 in Chapainawabganj, eight in Jessore and three in Barisal, reports our correspondents.
The verdict may be a game changer in Bangladesh politics.
In her 35 years in politics, Khaleda spent times in jail several times, but was never convicted. She had been detained several times during the anti-Ershad movement in the 1980s and 1990.
During the last army-backed caretaker government, she was in jail for about a year on corruption charges.
Khaleda was made BNP vice-chairperson in March 1983 after the assassination of her husband Ziaur Rahman. She became chairperson on May 10, 1984, a post she still holds.
Jail sources said Khaleda might be kept at the woman cell and daycare centre at the old Dhaka Central jail in old Dhaka if convicted. The Jail authorities have already renovated the cell.
Besides, the authority has readied the female VIP prison cell in Kashimpur Female Jail.
The sources said considering the risk of taking her to Kashimpur, she might be temporarily kept in the old Dhaka Central jail where security was beefed up yesterday.
“We have been deployed in the area since morning (yesterday),” a sub-inspector told The Daily Star yesterday.
Khaleda's lawyers and BNP leaders said they would challenge the verdict in High Court.
Asked by reporters, DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia said they had no information of any possible act of sabotage.
“But due to past experience, we cannot rule it out,” he said.
He also claimed no police units arrested BNP leader Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel, as reported by the media.
