Entries from October 2007 ↓

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Dr Wazed visits Hasina in jail
Staff Correspondent

Dr Wazed Miah yesterday visited his detained wife Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina at the sub-jail on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises.

This was the first visit of Dr Wazed, a nuclear scientist, to his detained wife after her arrest on July 16.

The detained former prime minister became emotional as she met her husband who has been suffering from heart disease, diabetes and other complications, sources said. Wazed was accompanied by four of their relatives.

During the hour-long meeting, Sheikh Hasina and her husband talked mainly about their family issues, sources said. They also enquired about each other’s health.

Dr Wazed took fruits for Hasina, DIG (Prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddique told The Daily Star.

Other relatives who met Hasina are Shamsur Rahman Tutul, grandson of Dr Wazed, Shamima Siddique, Fatima Selim, wife of AL leader Sheikh Selim and Razia Sultana Naser, aunt of Hasina.

Quoting the relatives, Dr Hasan Mahmud, special assistant to Hasina, told the reporters at jail gate that the AL chief wished to talk to her son and daughter as well as her younger sister Sheikh Rehana.

Dr Hasan also urged the jail authorities to restore the satellite cable connection of the television in Hasina’s room.

Dr Wazed and three relatives entered the special jail at 10:00am while Razia Sultana Naser entered at around 10:35am. All of them came out at 11:20am.

DIG (Prisons), jailer of the special prison and other jail staff were present during the meeting.

Sheikh Hasina appealed to the jail authorities in August to allow her to see her ailing husband but the authorities turned down her appeal on security grounds.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=9640

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Gen Moeen answers questions from Joy
If Hasina is released from prison after proving her innocence, it will be good news for everyone, army chief says
Staff Correspondent

Everyone would be happy if Hasina was released after being proven innocent, said Army chief General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday to Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of detained former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Gen Moeen said this to Joy when the two met at a seminar at Ash Institute of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, reports US-based News World.

“My respect and support for the former prime minister and Bangabandhu daughter is no less than anyone else. If she is released from prison after proving her innocence, it will be good news for everyone,” said Gen Moeen.

When Joy pressed further on Hasina’s arrest and bail, Moeen said the matter was not under his jurisdiction. “The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case against Sheikh Hasina and the trial is being held under the laws of the country. There is nothing to hide here,” he added.

Commenting on Moeen’s reply, Joy hoped that there would not be any attempt to influence the law and if that were ensured, his mother would “surely be able to prove her innocence.”

Asked for his thoughts on the idea of national government, Moeen said there are arguments on both sides, but he had no personal opinion on the issue.

When Joy asked Moeen whether it was possible or acceptable to bring reforms in politics without politicians, the Army chief replied, “The Election Commission has initiated political reforms to strengthen and stabilise the foundations of democracy.” Leaders of various political parties have supported the reform initiative as it is a need of changing times, Moeen added.

Responding to another query by Joy on elections, Moeen said the Election Commission is responsible for holding elections and he was confident that the elections would be held in time as the project for preparing voter ID cards is already underway.

In his address to the seminar, Moeen said before the state of emergency was declared in Bangladesh, people were murdered for political vengeance while the country topped the corruption lists and was hostage to individual interests.

The military supported the declaration of state of emergency because the military is part of the government, he said adding that there is no alternative to elections for restarting the democratic process.

The government is on high alert against human rights violations and the allegations against some military officials were immediately investigated, Moeen said.

Many people had suggested imposing of martial law during the political turmoil preceding January 11. Since Bangladesh Army respects the democratic process, the state of emergency was declared instead, he added.

General Moeen left the US for China last night.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=8776

Arrest warrant issued against Rehana
Her property to be attached in extortion case
Court Correspondent

An arrest warrant was issued yesterday against Sheikh Rehana, sister of detained Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina, along with an order to attach all her properties in connection with a Tk 2.99 crore extortion case.

After scrutinising the case docket and other relevant documents, Metropolitan Magistrate ABM Abdul Fattah accepted the charge sheet of the case and passed the order.

The court issued the order following a prayer submitted by the investigation officer (IO) of the case showing Rehana fugitive.

Meanwhile, while commenting on the order, Sheikh Rehana, who is currently in the US, told BBC Radio Bangla Service, “I’m really disappointed and disheartened at such a false case against me — the arrest warrant and the attachment of my wealth. What’s the reason for this? This is just to humiliate me and this is evil-intentioned.”

Azam J Chowdhury, managing director of Eastcoast Trading Pvt Ltd, filed the case on June 13 against former prime minister Hasina and her cousin Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim with Gulshan Police Station, accusing them of extorting Tk 2.99 crore from him.

Rehana’s name was later included in the charge sheet as the IO found her involvement in the extortion during investigation. The other two accused, Hasina and Sheikh Selim, were arrested earlier and are currently detained in different prisons.

Joint forces arrested the AL chief in connection with the case on July 16 and produced her before a magistrate’s court that sent her to a sub-jail custody.

The defence lawyers of the case submitted a petition seeking time for adjournment of the order on the acceptance of the charge sheet, but the court rejected the defence plea for adjournment of the order on it.

Defence lawyers in their petition mentioned that they had earlier submitted a writ petition to the High Court (HC) challenging the legality of the case.

They added that the court, after hearing, granted ad interim bail to Hasina in two cases filed with Gulshan and Tejgaon police stations and also issued a rule upon the government.

But the Supreme Court stayed the HC order following a government appeal and directed the HC to dispose of the matter, said the defence adding that the matter was now on the HC’s cause list.

They appealed the court not to pass any judgment on whether to accept the charge sheet until the HC disposes of the matter.

Opposing the defence plea, the prosecution prayed for acceptance of the charge sheet as the higher court had not pass any order barring the acceptance of the charge sheet.

Upon scrutinising the case docket, the court rejected the petition submitted by the defence lawyers and issued the arrest warrant against Rehana and ordered attachment of her properties.

The court also directed the authorities concerned to send a copy of the arrest warrant and the order of property attachment to the officer in charge (OC) of Gulshan Police Station for implementation of its order.

On July 24, Gulshan Police Station OC Obaidul Haque, also the IO of the case, submitted the charge sheet against Hasina, Rehana and Selim to the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, showing 24 people as prosecution witnesses.

Two more extortion cases and a graft case were filed with Tejgaon Police Station against the former premier on April 9, June 13 and September 2.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=8770