Food is being supplied to BNP chief Khaleda Zia and others staying inside her Gulshan office regularly at least from three sources although the party has been claiming that police have repeatedly obstructed food supply to the office.

The BNP claimed that Khaleda and others had been going hungry for lack of food since February 11, the day when police stopped allowing food supply to the office. The party in a statement on February 14

alleged that the government was trying to "kill" Khaleda by keeping her starving.

Staff of the office also claimed that most of the people staying inside the office were living on dry food, and that the stock would be exhausted within two to three days. If things went on like this, they added, it would be very difficult for them to survive.

However, food for the BNP chief usually comes from the residences of her two brothers -- Sayeed Iskander and Shameem Iskander, or from her in-laws' residence.

Food for Khaleda also comes from BNP vice-chairman Selima Rahman's residence sometimes, sources at Khaleda's office said.

A major chunk of cooked food comes from the BNP chiefs Gulshan residence for the party leaders, staff and officials, who have been staying inside the office since January 3. Members of Chairperson's Security Force (CSF), the team that looks after the security of Khaleda Zia, bring the food thrice a day forthem, the sources added.

Around 60 people are staying in Khaleda's Gulshan office now. Of them, around 30 are members of the CSF. The CSF men include retired army officials. They are allowed to go in and out of the office, staff at Khaleda's office said.

Apart from the CSF members, BNP

leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman, Shirin Sultana, former IGP and the BNP chiefs adviser Abdul Qaiyum, her press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan, two staff of BNP chiefs media wing, security chief of Khaleda Col (retd) Abdul Majid, eight drivers, four office staff, two personal staff, two special assistants and a domestic help of Khaleda are staying inside the office at present.

Police on February 11 suddenly stopped food supply for Khaleda Zia's office staff. They, however, allowed food for the BNP chief to get in. Previously, as many as 30 to 35 food packs and same number of bottled water were being sent to the office from different city hotels.

Around seven to eight CSF members bring food from Khaleda's Gulshan residence in small to

medium-sized hand bags. The food is usually kept in the lower part of the bags with papers or clothes on the top of it. Plainclothes detectives and police do not search the CSF members.

A member of Special Branch of Police yesterday told The Daily Star that police high-ups knew it well that the CSF members brought food for the people staying inside the office. He, however, spoke on condition of anonymity.

The arrangement of sending packet food from restaurants was stopped after police barred food supply from entering the office, sources at Khaleda's Gulshan office said.

Between February 14 and 21, police barred popular singer Baby Naznin, a group of six female BNP leaders, and 12 retired officials of the armed forces from entering Khaleda's office with food.