Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia pays her last respect to Dr MA Wazed Miah, husband of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at Sudha Sadan in the city yesterday. Photo: Courtesy

Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia rushed to Sudha Sadan last night to stand beside Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and convey her condolence on the death of Dr MA Wazed Miah.
The BNP chairperson went there around 9:00pm and stayed for around 25 minutes.
The BNP also decided last night to postpone a human chain programme today to show respect to Dr Wazed.
"The BNP chairperson hugged Sheikh Hasina and said words of condolence," said a witness, adding that Khaleda also talked with other members of Hasina's family.
Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, a standing committee member of the BNP, said the two leaders met and Khaleda conveyed her sympathy to the PM.
"We are here to pray for the salvation of Dr Wazed Miah's departed soul and give strength to his bereaved family so that they can overcome the immense loss," he told reporters at Sudha Sadan. He hoped that the gesture Khaleda showed would have positive impact on the country's politics.
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar, Dhaka City Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, Nazrul Islam Khan and Rizvi Ahmed also visited Sudha Sadan to convey their sympathy to Dr Wazed's family.
Earlier, after the grenade attack on the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina on August 21, 2004, Khaleda, the PM at that time, expressed desires to visit her at Sudha Sadan but could not due to strong opposition from Awami League supporters.
The BNP last night postponed its human chain programme announced on April 23 to protest the government's "attempt to hide the real culprits" of the Pilkhana carnage and press home its demand for quick and fair trial of the perpetrators.
"The decision has been taken to show respect to the noted scientist [Dr Wazed]," Rizvi Ahmed, BNP office secretary, told The Daily Star last night.
Immediately after getting the news of Dr Wazed Miah's death, the BNP chairperson asked the party secretary general to postpone the protest programme.