Govt withdraws SSF for Khaleda.........

The government have withdrawn BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's Special Security Force protection, deployed by the caretaker government to ensure safety and security during the election period.

The special security was withdrawn from midnight Monday as the scheduled three-month period came to an end.

"The SSF troopers deployed for the security of the former prime minister were taken back to barracks. She now has the police security befitting a minister," Maj Gen (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar, defence and security adviser to the BNP chairperson, told US Tuesday.

Protection and security for the opposition leader now comprises two police officers leading a contingent of six constables, a sergeant and a havildar.

Gen Akbar said, "The present government should regard the matter of Khaleda Zia's security seriously, because she took special measures to curb terrorism through arresting and taking terrorists to task during her regime."

"Two weeks back, we had requested the government not to withdraw the SSF contingent, as the government should also be recognising the fact that her safety and security is at stake."

The previous caretaker government deployed SSF to ensure maximum security for both Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia from Nov 2 last year for a period of three months to cover the pre- and post-election period.