Khaleda Zia's Eviction From Dhaka Cantonment: How Fascism Exposed All Its Fangs

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who is also spouse of martyred President Ziaur Rahman, was evicted from her legitimate residence located inside Dhaka Cantonment on 13 November 2010. It was the most heinous instance of political intolerance and vengeance which perhaps could take place in a country like Bangladesh only under the repressive regime of Awami League under ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. No legal or moral procedure was followed to carry out this eviction. It was all done with monstrous force and shameless power abusing instances like Adolf Hitler's Gestapo had done during World War II.

The key army officers who were head over heels loyal to Sheikh Hasina and who materialized Sheikh Hasina's vindictive stratagem to throw Begum Khaleda Zia out of Dhaka Cantonment were Lieutenant General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan who later on was promoted by Sheikh Hasina to General and was made Army Chief. Lieutenant General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan also held the post of Quarter Master General (QMG) before becoming Army Chief with exclusive blessings from human rights violator Sheikh Hasina. Major General (Retd) Imrul Quayes, then Area Commander Logistics, Brigadier General (Retd) GM Quamrul Islam Director Movement in Army Headquarters, General (Retd) Abdul Mubeen, Station Commander Brigadier General Tanvir Hasan Majumder and Sadat Hossain Selim, who was Cantonment Executive Officer back then also played Lucifer's roles at that time.

The theatrics of viciously evicting Begum Khaleda Zia from her Dhaka Cantonment residence started from 13 November 2010 midnight. Plain-dressed law and order forces were deployed around Begum Khaleda Zia's Dhaka Cantonment residence before Fazr prayer. Police force, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and members of different spy agencies joined the vice after a few hours. Additional police personnel were deployed around Jahangir Gate and all other entries to Dhaka Cantonment. Army troops were deployed at certain important roundabouts inside Dhaka Cantonment so that the crime could be carried out smoothly misusing the country's military services and law enforcement agencies. Politicizing Bangladesh's law and order forces and armed forces were one of the most fearsome damages that Sheikh Hasina and her accomplices had done from 2009 to 2024.

The law and order forces audaciously entered Begum Khaleda Zia's Dhaka Cantonment residence at around morning 8 am on 13 November 2010 and pushed out Khaleda Zia's household staff including cooks and relatives. Police force and RAB entered her residence at around morning 11 am breaking down the main entrance. Loudspeakers were used by police force and RAB asking Begum Khaleda Zia to move out of her residence. The law and order forces threatened that if Khaleda Zia would not move out normally, she would be forcibly driven out. Khaleda Zia wanted to speak to her lawyers but he evictors did not allow Khaleda Zia to do so.

Police force broke into Khaleda Zia's room and took her personal staff to unknown places. Police force and other law enforcement agencies dragged Khaleda Zia out of her residence in a totally disgraceful way and she was also taken to an unknown place. Later on the law and order forces dropped her at her residence in the capital's Gulshan on the same day at around 3:30 pm. Khaleda Zia was not allowed to bring her daily essential materials while being evicted in such a tyrannical way under Sheikh Hasina's satanic regime.

Ziaur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh on the eve of the glorious Liberation War of 1971. Ziaur Rahman was a valiant freedom fighter and a gallant Sector Commander. When Ziaur Rahman became Army Chief he rectified Bangladesh Army thoroughly and restored discipline and stability in the military services. The modernization of Bangladesh Armed Forces was initiated by Ziaur Rahman for the first time. 

Major Zia declared the independence of Bangladesh on 25 March 1971 and participated in the Liberation War with all his military might and leadership dexterity. Ziaur Rahman conducted a Sepoy-Masses Upheaval on 7 November 1975 and a new episode in Bangladesh's history was thus opened up that consolidated the foundation of equal rights and democracy in Bangladesh.

Ziaur Rahman's residence on Shaheed Mainul Road inside Dhaka Cantonment bears a lot of memories of this magnificent statesman and National Hero and the upbringing of his sons. Begum Khaleda Zia's shattered emotional feelings after being evicted from her Dhaka Cantonment house is thus drenched with the sanctified streams of humanity. All patriotic and pious people of Bangladesh regarded Ziaur Rahman's Dhaka Cantonment residence as an emblem of dignity and valour. Begum Khaleda Zia became an uncompromising leader from a housewife from this Shaheed Mainul Road residence.

When Ziaur Rahman embraced martyrdom on 30 May 1981, Begum Khaleda Zia was all tears but she stood firmly besides Ziaur Rahman's coffin because that coffin was carrying the corpse of an unflinching military legend and an unmatched statesman. When the one eleven caretaker government broke down Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman's spinal cord, she remained calm and composed. Khaleda Zia is actually the Iron Lady of Bangladesh like Margaret Thatcher was in Britain.

Begum Khaleda Zia shed tears while addressing a press conference following her eviction from her residence of Dhaka Cantonment. It shows what a trauma it was for her to be evicted from that house. The devils with human faces who were directly associated with this eviction must not be spared. Otherwise the dirty and vengeful political gambits in Bangladesh can never be eradicated.