Entries from December 2007 ↓

Staff Correspondent

Prof Syed Modasser Ali, personal physician to detained Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, yesterday urged the caretaker government to take her abroad immediately for better treatment.

The condition of Hasina’s eyes and ears are not good at present, he said in a press statement.

“My opinion is that if she [Hasina] does not receive treatment in time, her eyes could sustain permanent damage,” Prof Modasser said and suggested taking her to the USA for treatment.

He also suspects that Hasina might have been suffering from kidney problems and other ailments.

“We had brought this matter to the attention of the jail authorities, but no initiatives have so far been taken in this regard. So, I am worried,” Prof Modasser said, adding that it is necessary to discuss the issue of treatment with Hasina.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=17222

By Mizan Rahman
DHAKA: The Awami League’s Dhaka city unit yesterday asked the party central committee to announce a ‘legitimate programme’ amid the state of emergency, fearing that party chief Sheikh Hasina could not be freed through a legal battle alone.
The demand came from the Awami League city chapter’s executive council meeting at the party headquarters on Bangabandhu Avenue, chaired by the acting Dhaka city Awami League president, M A Aziz.
After the meeting, Dhaka city Awami League’s acting general secretary Kamrul Islam told newsmen: “We have asked the Awami League central committee to announce a lawful movement.”
The meeting demanded resignation of Law Adviser Mainul Hosein without mentioning his name, withdrawal of the emergency rule and unconditional release of Dhaka University teachers.
The meeting also decided to inject impetus into the ongoing movement for trial of war criminals, Kamrul Islam told reporters in a press briefing after the meeting.
The meeting termed cases against Hasina false, fabricated and baseless.
“Sheikh Hasina could not be freed only through a legal battle. So we recommended a movement besides the legal battle. We have also asked the central committee to emphasise the need for building public opinion,” Kamrul Islam said.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=192733&version=1&template_id=44&parent_id=24

Staff Reporter

Dhaka City Unit of Awami League asked the central committee to announce a programme not contradicting the state of emergency fearing that the party Chief Sheikh Hasina could not be freed through a legal battle alone.

This was said at the city executive committee meeting held at the party headquarters at Bangabandhu Avenue in the city yesterday.

Acting President of Dhaka city Awami League (AL) MA Aziz chaired the meeting, while advocate Kamrul Islam, acting general secretary of Dhaka city AL, among others, were present on the occasion.

In the meeting the leaders demanded withdrawal of the emergency rule and unconditional release of Dhaka University teachers.

The meeting also decided to give the ongoing movement for trial of war criminals some force.

The meeting termed the cases against Sheikh Hasina false, fabricated and baseless.

Advocate Kamrul said, “Sheikh Hasina could not be freed only through a legal battle. So we recommend a movement be launched besides the legal battle. We have also asked the central committee to emphasis the need to build public opinion.”

“We may go for any legitimate programme,” he said.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2007/12/30/news0906.htm

DHAKA: A special anti-graft court in Dhaka on Wednesday resumed indictment hearing on charges of extortion against former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Awami League leader appeared before Metropolitan sessions judge Azizul Haque from a makeshift sub-jail at parliament complex. The hearing resumes after a 15-day recess at a temporary courtroom on the same premises after the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court cleared ways for her trial overturning a High Court order halting the proceedings.

The High Court earlier suspended the process on a writ filed by Hasina challenging her trial under Emergency Powers Rule and relocation of the court complex.

“The hearing is underway and the court is expected to pass its order on her indictment later on Wednesday,” a prosecution lawyer said as tight security was enforced around the makeshift courtroom.

The charges against Hasina involve alleged extortion of about Tk 3 crore from businessman Azam J Chowdhury when she was in office in 1996-2001. Her expatriate younger sister Sheikh Rehana and cousin and former Health Minister Sheikh Selim are co-accused in the case.

Rehana is being tried in absentia. Chowdhury filed the case on June 13, alleging that he had paid the money to the accused as they threatened to cancel a power plant project. The former premier has denied the charges, saying the case was aimed at preventing her from contesting the next polls.

Police had formally charged Hasina with extortion on July 24 after her arrest on July 16.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Rest_of_World/Bangla_court_resumes_Hasinas_indictment_hearing/articleshow/2652471.cms

Dhaka, Dec 27 - Bangladesh’s detained former prime minister Sheikh Hasina is doubtful that general elections would be held as scheduled and also whether they would be fair keeping in view the government’s efforts to debar her family from the contest.

The entire family of the country’s slain founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, including Hasina, her sister Rehana and other relations were sought to be kept out of politics, she said Wednesday as the government pressed corruption charges against her in a court.

Rehana, who is not in public life and lives in Britain, has been implicated in a case of extortion involving 29 million takas ($50,000 approx) to ensure that she cannot lead the Awami League in future, Hasina told her lawyers.

According to New Age newspaper, the Awami League leader was allowed to consult her team of 20 lawyers for half-an-hour in the makeshift courtroom at Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) complex where she has been under detention since July 16.

Hasina, who ruled in 1996-2001, has claimed that she is innocent as are her sister Rehana and cousin Sheikh Selim and the extortion charge is a frame-up.

‘The verdict is ready. Selim bhai will be sentenced to a long term and I and Rehana will be sentenced to short terms. We all will be barred from taking part in elections,’ Hasina reportedly told her lawyers.

‘I am in doubt if any elections would be held and if democracy could be sustained,’ Hasina was quoted as saying by a lawyer attending the consultation.

‘What will follow if some kind of an election is somehow held and someone is put in power?’ Hasina is reported to have said.

‘Since we are alive by the grace of Allah, time will come for us to see who is more honest,’ she said.

The government’s chief prosecutor Sharfuddin Ahmed Mukul pressed the charges before Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge M. Azizul Haque. The court posted further hearing for next Monday.

Hasina has been lodged in the same complex as her arch political rival, Khaleda Zia, also jailed for corruption. Zia’s two sons, Tarique and Arafat are also serving jail terms.

They are among the high-profile former ministers and lawmakers caught on corruption charges as part of the government’s anti-corruption drive that has netted over 200,000 people.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/164847.html