SHILLONG, May 16 � An office bearer of Bangladesh�s main opposition BNP today met his party spokesperson Salahuddin Ahmed, who was arrested here five days ago for travelling without valid documents.
The BNP office Secretary Md Abdul Latif Johnny arrived here yesterday and met Ahmed for a brief period at around 4 pm at the high security ward at the Shillong Civil Hospital where he has been admitted since Tuesday.
Ahmed had already met some other family members who have landed in this Northeastern State since yesterday.
�We have granted permission to family members to meet him (Ahmed) for about 10 minutes only. All of them have legally entered the country,� East Khasi Hills district SP M Kharkrang said.
He said Ahmed�s wife was expected to arrive by Sunday or latest by Monday. �Let them meet first. Let her decide on behalf of her husband,� he said, adding that as of now the family was yet to appoint even a lawyer.
Johnny said the arrested person (Ahmed) was identified as the BNP spokesperson. �I could identify him (Ahmed) closely since we are family friends. I have come here as a family friend and not as a political leader,� Johnny told waiting mediapersons outside the hospital.
He said Ahmed was not in good health and lost a lot of weight since his disappearance in March.
�He is a heart patient. He also has kidney problems. He has lost over 15 kgs since his disappearance in the last three months. His health condition is imbalanced,� Johnny said.
Meanwhile, Dr D J Goswami, who is looking after Ahmed, maintained that his overall health condition was �stable� except for the kidney stones and the cardiac problems, which Ahmed had been suffering for quite sometime.
Currently, he was undergoing treatment for his ailments and reports of various tests were awaited.
The BNP leader was detained in the Golf Link area of the city after he was found loitering in a disorientated state on Monday. He was later put under arrest for travelling without valid documents.
Ahmed had disappeared from his country at the height of anti-government protests in Bangladesh earlier this year and there were speculations that he had been taken into custody by the intelligence agencies of that country. � PTI
