Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday skipped her electioneering in the city in favour of her party-backed mayoral candidates for Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporations for lack of safe vehicle movement as her bullet-proof SUV was damaged on Wednesday in an attack reportedly by ruling party men at Banglamotor crossing.

‘A window of madam’s bullet-Proof SUV was badly damaged in yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) attack. Repair work of the vehicle couldn’t be completed. Madam is waiting for the vehicle to be ready to return to the campaign trail,’ BNP chief’s special assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas.

Khaleda’s press wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan said the BNP chief finally discarded her Thursday’s plan to carry out campaign for the sixth straight day as her vehicle was not repaired till 6:00pm.

He said most of the spare vehicles of the BNP chief and her security personnel were also damaged in the three days’ consecutive attacks. ‘Repair works of those vehicles are also going on.’

Besides, he said, at least nine members of the BNP chief’s security personnel were injured in the last three days’ attacks and some of them are undergoing treatment.

An adviser to the BNP chief, wishing anonymity, said they advised Khaleda not to go for electioneering in the city on Thursday in ordinary vehicle for safety reason.

He said the BNP chief is likely to resume her electioneering on Friday if her personal vehicle gets repaired.

Khaleda started her electioneering in favour of her party-blessed mayoral runners of the two Dhaka city corporations on Saturday.

On the first day, she peacefully campaigned for Dhaka North city Corporation mayoral candidate Tabith Awal in Gulshan, Badda, Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon and Hatirjheel areas.

She faced obstruction and demonstrations by the ruling party men as she went to Uttara on Sunday for electioneering for Tabith.

Khaleda’s motorcade came under attack first on Monday allegedly by ruling party activists while she was campaigning for Tabith in the city’s Karwanbazar area without police protection as the government pulled out her police protocol on that morning.

The BNP chief escaped unhurt on the day, but her personal vehicle was damaged slightly. Some vehicles of her security staff were also damaged in the attack.

Khaleda’s motorcade was also attacked on Tuesday at Fakirerpool crossing while carrying out electioneering for her party-supported mayor candidate for Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mirza Abbas.

Her motorcade came under attack yet again on Wednesday allegedly by ruling party men in the city’s Banglamotor area when she was going to campaign for Abbas.

Witnesses and BNP leaders said a group of people, led by some Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders, including Moshiur Rahman Rubel, Ashiqul Pathan Setu and Mamum Ahmed, attacked the BNP chief’s