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Storm brewing in Bangladesh over
Hasina, Khaleda’s exile push
Bangladesh's army-backed interim
government ended three months in
office on Wednesday with strong
public support as it takes on the
country's top two politicians before
re-scheduling postponed polls.
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina
is cutting short a visit to the
United States to return home next
week so she can be personally
available for investigation into
charges filed by a businessman that
she extorted 30 million taka
($436,000) while in power.
Hasina's Awami League party has
termed the allegation false and
farcical. The government said the
probe, started by police, would
likely be handed over to the
national anti-corruption council,
which is dealing with high-profile
cases.
Hasina's arch-rival and the most
recent prime minister, Begum Khaleda
Zia, who ended her five-year term in
October, has been in virtual
confinement at her Dhaka home.
Her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
and close associates told reporters
security agencies had told Khaleda
not to venture out of home and to
keep visitors -- except her personal
physicians and handful of close
relative -- away.
Khaleda's confinement stemmed from
what police said was concern over
her personal safety. They have not
given any further explanation of
that.
Khaleda's elder son, Tareque Rahman,
a senior joint secretary-general of
the BNP and her apparent political
heir, has been in jail since March
7. He faces charges of extortion and
abuse of power for amassing huge
wealth.
Also detained in a crackdown on
corruption launched by the interim
authority after imposing a state of
emergency on Jan. 11, were some 160
senior political figures.
They belong mostly to the BNP or the
Awami League. All are likely to face
trial by so-called quick trial
courts, which are mandated to hand
down verdicts within 60 days.
The interim government headed by
former central bank chief Fakhruddin
Ahmed postponed an election planned
for Jan. 22 in the wake of
widespread political violence.
Hasina called the government now in
charge of organising a free and fair
election "undemocratic and
unconstitutional", which triggered a
quick rebuttal by the authorities.
One adviser to the interim
government said it had no intention
of clinging to power "even a day
beyond the time needed to create
conditions for a credible election".
The Election Commission said
preparing a flawless voters roll
might take up to 18 months,
suggesting an election might not be
held in two years or more.
Hasina's political future largely
depends on the outcome of the
extortion allegation. If convicted,
she might be banned from contesting
elections for up to five years,
lawyers said.
Speculation also abounds about the
fate of Khaleda.
Newspapers on Wednesday quoted BNP
and police sources as saying she
might leave the country and her
likely destination was Saudi Arabia.
The reports also said the ex-premier
wanted her jailed son to accompany
her, something the authorities will
not allow.
Many wonder if Khaleda would choose
a course charted by former Pakistani
premiers Benazir Bhutto and Newaz
Sharif.
"The whole nation is currently in a
fix and what happens to whom is
anybody's guess," said a senior
government official on Wednesday,
requesting not to be identified.
"People still largely support the
actions of the interim authority,
especially its bold steps to bust
political and other corruptions," he
said.
"But the mood may change if the
government fails to prosecute the
detainees based on unquestionable
truth and clear evidence," he said.
Fakhruddin told a police rally in
Dhaka on Tuesday that everyone
should come forward and help him to
"save the country from corrupt
politicians, terrorists and
criminals".
--Reuters
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