Threats won't scare us from lawful protest:BNP.................

BNP's will continue its lawful protest "despite threats", until the cabinet decision to evict party chief Khaleda Zia from her cantonment residence is withdrawn, said a senior party leader on Saturday.

"We will carry on our lawful movement to force the government to withdraw its illegal decision," said the party's secretary general Khandakar Delwar Hossain in an echo of a minister's comment the same day on the same issue.

Commerce minister Faruq Khan speaking in Khulna Saturday said the government would handle "lawfully" any politics played by the opposition BNP over the cantonment house.

Delwar was speaking at a protest rally in the capital organised by the pro-BNP Jubo Dal.

The rally held in front of BNP's Naya Paltan headquarters was part of a two day long countrywide programme announced last Wednesday in answer to the cabinet's decision.

"We are not afraid of threats. No amount of intimidation will work," said Delwar.

The home minister had warned on Friday that the government would "quell any move to create unrest" over the decision to cancel the cantonment house lease that, according to the cabinet, was illegally awarded to Khaleda in 1981.

Criticising the government's stance, he said, "The country will be pushed to confrontation if the government misuses its power, in the name of 'quelling unrest', to resist our lawful protest."

"The government is conspiring to oust Khaleda from politics by usurping her cantonment residence, but the successor of 'Shaheed Zia' will not yield to any pressure," said Delwar.

He said again the cabinet had no right to cancel the lease on the allotment of the house that was given to Khaleda on the assassination of her husband, former army chief turned president Ziaur Rahman.

Jubo Dal leaders announced further protest rallies at divisional headquarters on April 13 and at district and Upazila level on April 15.

The meeting was also addressed by other BNP leaders.