Khaleda refuses to go abroad for treatment

Detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today said she will not go abroad for treatment when a special court deferred the hearing on charge framing in Niko case filed against her and 10 others to June 12.

Khaleda, also a former premier, was brought before the court of Judge Khondker Kamal Uz-Zaman of the Special Court-9 set up on the Sangsad Bhaban premises to face the graft charges where she refused to go abroad. She said she will take treatment at home.

Of the accused, former law minister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister AKM Mosharraf Hossain, former Bapex secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam, former Bapex managing director Mir Moynul Hoque, former Bapex secretary Md Shafiur Rahman, controversial businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun and former Dhaka Club president Selim Bhuiyan are in detention while the remaining three others are on the run.

On December 9 last year, Assistant Director of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) Mahbubul Alam filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station against Khaleda and others on charge of abuse of power in awarding a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko.

The ACC submitted a charge sheet against Khaleda and 10 others on May 5.

Source: The Daily Star

Jamaat won’t join talks with Hasina, Khaleda, Nizami held

Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh today formally declared that they would not join the ongoing political dialogue with the government without unconditional releases of its chief Motiur Rahman Nizami and former premiers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.

“We will not join the dialogue without unconditional releases of Nizami, Khaleda and Hasina as we said earlier that dialogue and election will not be credible keeping them behind bars,” Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan M Mojaheed said at a press briefing at the party central office.

Mojaheed said the government’s “ill intention” is delaying the election through creating complexities instead of handing over power to elected representatives after holding general election immediately.

He said without participation of all political parties the election would not be acceptable home and abroad. “It’s a government’s duty to ensure participation of all political parties in the election and the government has to do it.”

Taking a swipe at government’s recent crackdown on political leaders “in the name of curbing corruption”, he asked for stopping such “political harassment”.

Hasina, Khaleda may be allowed to have treatment abroad by end-June

The detained chiefs of Awami League and BNP may be allowed to go abroad for medical treatment by the end of this month if they sit for the pre-polls dialogue with the government, said sources.

As a further inducement for BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s participation, a medical board will also examine her detained son Tarique Rahman’s health today to see if he also needs treatment abroad, said sources.

A government-formed medical board has already suggested that her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko should go abroad for treatment.

However, both the major parties continue asserting that their leaders don’t wish to go abroad and demanded their unconditional release.

“Sheikh Hasina should be sent abroad [for treatment] only after unconditional release,” Syed Ashraful Islam, Awami League acting general secretary, said yesterday.

On the other hand, BNP chairperson’s adviser Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah said Khaleda has no intention to go abroad for treatment under the reported “conditional arrangement”.

He however said the government should immediately send Koko abroad for treatment as suggested by the medical board.

Meanwhile, senior leaders from both parties trashed the idea of a “minus-two” theory or sending the two former premiers on exile.

“The minus-two theory is over and now we hope the government will come to its good senses to release our leader [Hasina],” Syed Ashraf said.

Hannan Shah echoed the same view, saying the government “plans” to arrange for Khaleda’s exist from the country would “never work”.

Highly placed sources said following the unofficial discussions with both the former premiers, the interim administration is now working to find out a way to release them in an accepted-to-all manner.

The source said both the leaders might be awarded bail following a Supreme Court judgment that said woman would be allowed bail in cases filed under the Emergency Power Rules.

Otherwise, the government might release them on parole though both the leaders have already rejected the proposals in this regard.

The BNP leaders are in the hope that Khaleda may clear her stance about the possibility to go abroad for treatment as she is scheduled to be produced before the special court today.

Sources said the authorities will release Koko on parole to go abroad for treatment, as he is suffering from various diseases.

Earlier, medical boards formed for AL chief Sheikh Hasina, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Koko recommended that the government ensure their better treatment.

On Thursday, separate medical boards examined Hasina and Koko and on Friday another board examined Khaleda at the makeshift jail.

According the medical reports, Hasina’s hearing aid should be changed as soon as possible, while Khaleda has pain in her knee and neck.

The BNP chairperson has long been suffering from arthritis.

Sources claimed the authorities have formed the medical boards following their unofficial negotiations with the two party chiefs and are now reviewing the legal procedures regarding their release.

Source: The Daily Star

Looking for an exit

Like so many before it, the army finds that coming in is easier than going out

THE two big political parties in Bangladesh are loth to accept what lawyers say is now only months away: the conviction on corruption charges of the jailed former prime ministers, Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League. This would bar the two rivals, who have dominated Bangladeshi politics since 1991, from the election the army-backed government promises for December.
The parties, both personality cults centred on the jailed leaders, are acting tough. Late last month the Awami League said it would not join election talks with the government unless Sheikh Hasina was released unconditionally. The BNP followed suit—and also reunited, as a dissident faction miraculously rediscovered its love for Mrs Zia. Both parties threatened popular movements to free their leaders.
The army’s response was swift. Since May 30th it has arrested nearly 12,000 local strongmen and politicians—a pre-emptive strike to break the organisational backbone of the parties ahead of local-government elections due in July. The latest arrests followed the detention of more leading politicians last month. They included Motiur Rahman Nizami, the head of the third-largest party, Jamaat-e-Islami. Some 100 members of the last parliament are now either in jail or on the run.
The local non-party elections are seen as a test for the parliamentary polls. The army, still the country’s most popular institution, appears determined to bulldoze both through at any cost. But the unelected government’s problems are multiplying: poverty has risen sharply in the past few years because of spiralling food prices, a Dhaka-based think-tank said this week. High oil prices, labour unrest, a severe energy crisis and the country’s inability to forge closer economic ties with its huge neighbour, India, add to the woes.
The last time Bangladeshis had the chance to vote out a government was in 2001. But some soldiers despise what now appears a hasty rush to the exit. These dissenters, however, were sidelined in a shuffle this week. General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, the main adversary of the army chief, General Moeen U Ahmed, was in effect demoted for the second time since he led the coup that ousted the squabbling politicians in January 2007. The move consolidates General Moeen’s power and, for now, removes the threat of a coup within the army. He has vowed to hold within the two years elections for which foreign governments have seemed ready to tolerate the suspension of democracy.
But the exit might be blocked. The parties remain unreformed. Their senior leaders say in private that it would be political suicide to come out openly against their still popular leaders. The army must hope that once the two women have been convicted, their parties will defy them and take part in the elections. Unless they do so and the army lifts the state of emergency, foreign observers are unlikely to lend legitimacy to the elections.
A desperate hunt is on for someone to fill the void. One diplomat recalls a “bizarre” meeting with Mohammad Ershad, a 78-year-old former dictator, who toured embassies a month ago, saying he had the army’s blessing to lead a disparate coalition including the anti-Khaleda BNP faction. There is even talk that Mohammad Yunus, a famed microfinancier, might throw his hat back in the ring, after an aborted attempt to launch a party last year. The most sensible solution may be a national-unity government following the election. But that would require both the two big parties to disobey their feudal leaders and to share power. It is hard to say which is the longer shot.
Source: The Economist

Hasina’s bail prayer in Niko case rejected

BNP for all-party movement

Former ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) yesterday called on all political parties, including its arch-rival Awami League, to start a united movement for salvaging the nation from a “grave crisis” and restoring democracy.

“No political party alone can overcome the current crisis. In the past too success did not come without united movement,” BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain told a press briefing at his NAM apartment, hot on the heels of his detained party chief and ex-premier Khaleda Zia’s political salvo inside trial court.

Responding to Awami League acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam’s rejection of movement with BNP and Jamaat, Delwar said “Ashraf sahib is a wise man” and hoped that he would not oppose unity. “For God’s sake (Allaharwaste) and for people’s interest don’t oppose unity.”

Holding out an olive branch to their traditional political foe, the BNP leader said, “We want unity for the interest of the election. If people vote for you (AL), you will go to power and we will sit in the opposition. We will have our understanding wherever we are and we will have no problem among us.”

Delwar said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia also spoke about the necessity of unity. “We’ve demanded the release of two leaders-Khaleda and Hasina-and we sought it for the interest of the country and democracy. We did not feel any hesitation for that.”

He observed nowhere a non-elected government stays in power for such a long time. “They are taking this chance in Bangladesh.”

The BNP leader termed the government’s dialogue and commitment to election as a total drama. “They are staging mock show only to perpetuate their power with the help of an external force,” he said, adding, “the government is showing us mirage and implementing its blueprint in the name of election.”

Referring to Education Advisor Dr Hossain Zillur’s comment that the dialogue is not only aimed at the election, Delwar said it reflects that the government has no intention to hold elections.

Turning to the January 11, 2007 changeover, Delwar alleged that ‘1/11′ was staged under a well-thought-out plan to eliminate politics and destroy the country.

On crackdown on parties he said the government so long has “harassed” politicians in the name of anti-corruption drive and is now harassing the politicians in the name of anti-terror drive. He said most of the arrested people belong to BNP and Awami League.

Delwar apprised journalists that the BNP Dhaka City committee was cancelled at the instruction of Begum Zia. A new committee will be formed on Begum Zia’s advice and in consultation with BNP city leaders.

Party leaders Dr RA Gani, Selima Rahman, Prof MA Mannan, Sarwari Rahman, Rizvi Ahmed and Shirin Sultana were present.

Source: UNB

High Court rejects Jammat’s secretary general bail petition

High Court rejects Jammat’s secretary general Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed bail petition on Tuesday in Barapukuria coal mine corruption case.

Falu gets 5-yr for relief pilferage

‘Issue of Khaleda, Hasina’s release being considered’

Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman Saturday said issues raised by political parties, including the matters of detained ex-Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, are now under full consideration of the government amid many initiatives, reports UNB.

“Many initiatives and efforts are on. These issues are being considered with importance,” he told reporters after attending the launching ceremony of ‘Halkhata’, an annual publication of a government project on quality education.

In his changed stance, Dr Zillur, on behalf of the advisers, urged the major political parties to join the ongoing dialogue. He said since all are looking for a solution of the problems, the initiatives would end up with success.

The adviser, who acts as government spokesman in the ongoing dialogue with political parties on the modalities of transition from the interim period, said discussions with main political parties that represent vast majority people of the country are important to reach consensus on national issues.

He forewarned that time is running out and for that all will have to make the best use of the time to work out a solution.

“We are trying to reach consensus at national level and participation of major political parties in dialogue is very important,” the adviser said.

On Thursday, Dr Zillur told reporters that it should not be taken into account who joins the dialogue or who does not. He also blurted out that concept of major players is dangerous for democracy.

His remarks triggered sharp reaction among major political parties, including Awami League and BNP.

Correcting his position the adviser said his expression or body language perhaps could not reflect what he actually meant to say while replying to questions from journalists.

Bangladesh detains 50 grassroot leaders: police

Nearly 50 grassroot leaders were detained in Bangladesh late on Friday, police said, after the country’s key political parties rejected an offer of talks with the army-backed interim government on elections scheduled later this year.

Most of those detained belonged to the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the country’s two main political parties.

“It was confirmed that the detainees were trying to instigate the people against the interim-government,” a senior officer of the joint forces said on Saturday without giving details.

The Awami League and BNP are seeking the release of their respective leaders, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia respectively. Both parties have threatened to launch countrywide protests if their leaders were not released.

Both Hasina and Khaleda are in detention on graft and corruption charges, which they deny.

Their parties last week rejected the offer of talks with the interim government, along with three other smaller political parties.

Leaders of Awami League and the two factions of BNP said the fresh wave of crackdowns was planned to foil a move by the parties to reorganize activists and supporters to launch a nationwide protest to press for the release of their leaders.

Khaleda and Hasina are among more than 170 political figures detained as part of a crackdown on corruption that the government launched soon after taking over in January 2007.

Source: Reuters