Hasina asks Bangladesh leaders not to harass politicians

DHAKA, Mar 4 (Reuters) Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina today asked the army-backed interim administration not to harass political leaders in the name of fighting corruption.

''The corrupt must be arrested and punished, but no genuine politician should be harassed in the drive to eliminate corruption,'' Hasina told a meeting of her Awami League.

She made the remarks after Fakhruddin Ahmed, head of the interim administration, said the fight against corruption would continue in an attempt to set the stage for a free and fair elections at a date to be determined.

Talking to officials in the southern coastal district of Barisal today, Fakhruddin asked security officials and state employees to work without fear or favour.

But Hasina said ''genuine politicians are not corrupt and those indulge in corruption are not politicians''.

''Corruption has spread through every sector and now we must eradicate it forever to bring back the prestige of the nation and the administration,'' Fakhruddin said.

An election originally planned for January 22 was postponed following weeks of political violence in which 45 people were killed and hundreds injured. No new date for the polls has been announced.

More than 150 senior politicians from all sides of Bangladesh's political spectrum -- including former ministers -- have been arrested since President Iajuddin Ahmed declared a state of emergency on January 11.

The authorities have seized property and frozen bank accounts of many of those detained politicians.

REUTERS SHB KN1557