Dhaka, Dec 31 (IANS): US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena met the country's opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia Tuesday as anti-government protests continued.

Zia's advisors Riaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed entered her house minutes after the US envoy reached there. Neither Mozena nor anyone from the BNP spoke to the media after the meeting, reported bdnews24.com.

This was the second meeting with Zia by a western diplomat since the launch Sunday of the March for Democracy by the country's combined opposition comprising BNP and its 17 allies.

British High Commissioner Robert Gibson Monday met Zia, virtually under house arrest, as her party remained adamant over derailing the Jan 5 general elections in the country.

The British envoy met Zia for over an hour at her house amid tight police security and countrywide concern over the opposition's agitation ahead of the polls.

Gibson too did not speak to media persons after coming out of Zia's residence.

A spokesperson of the British high commission said the envoy met Zia to get updates about the latest situation, after he returned from the Christmas vacation.

The US, Britain and other countries have been asking the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP for a solution to the crisis resulting from difference between the two parties over the nature of the poll-time government.

The BNP and its 17 allies have asked Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to allow installation of a non-party caretaker system, or else the opposition would not participate in the elections because they feared that parliamentary polls without such a government would not be free and fair.

The capital Dhaka was effectively cut off from the rest of the country as bus, ferry and train services remained suspended.