Bangla ex-PM's son freed in exile deal: Reports

Dhaka, Apr 17: Bangladesh ex-prime minister Begum Khaleda Ziamay head into exile in the latest political twist since an army-backedgovernment began a drive against corruption and the country'sentrenched power elite.

One of Khaleda's detained sons was released early today as part ofa deal with the government for her family to go abroad, Bangladeshinewspapers reported today.

A close associate of Khaleda confirmed to Reuters that her''departure is imminent'' and said she made the deal with thegovernment out of frustration over lack of support from top officialsof her political party.

But another former prime minister, Khaleda rival Sheikh Hasina,who has been charged with murder and extortion, has separately vowed toreturn home from the United States to contest what she called the''false and fake cases'' against her.

Authorities arrested both of Khaleda's sons as part of a crackdownon corruption by the interim government which followed imposition ofemergency law in the politically unstable country on January 11.

Elder son and political heir apparent Tareque Rahman was detainedlast month, and the younger son, businessman Arafat Rahman, was takenby army-led joint forces early yesterday.

Leading newspapers said Arafat's release was part of a deal withthe government for Khaleda's family to go into exile in Saudi Arabia.

The interim government's acting law and information ministry chiefMainul Husein did not comment directly on the reports but today said :''We will not obstruct anyone who wants to go abroad.'' On Arafat'srelease, he told reporters: ''Law enforcers can release anyone ifcharges are not strong enough against him.

Just taking him away for interrogation does not necessarily meanhe will be jailed.'' FRUSTRATION Khaleda's close associate, whodeclined to be identified, quoted her as saying: ''I am frustrated as Ihave not received desired support and sympathy from my party while Imyself and my family are going through a disastrous time.'' Theassociate said that Khaleda added: ''So I have decided to go, as thegovernment wants.'' Khaleda had talked to several followers -- who werenot among the high-ups of her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) -- bytelephone, and ''she even wept'', another associate said.

The government's Husein in his remarks blasted the persistence oftraditional family politics in a democratic system. ''We must get ridof family politics, this is the root of bad politics which leads tocorruption,'' he said.

Khaleda -- who has been under virtual confinement at her home formore than a week -- ended a five-year term as prime minister lastOctober, handing power to a pre-election interim authority.

More than 160 senior politicians have been arrested on charges ofgraft and abuse of power since the government imposed a state ofemergency and postponed an election scheduled for January 22 afterwidespread violence between political factions.

National politics in Bangladesh has been polarised for the past decade between Khaleda's BNP and Hasina's Awami League.

Hasina, who began a private visit to the United States in earlyApril, told Reuters she would leave Washington for London tomorrow andintended to travel on to Dhaka at the weekend.

She said she did not fear detention or physical harm.

''They can do whatever they like, but I know my conscience isclear, I haven't done anything wrong, and I haven't committed anycrimes,'' Hasina said.

But some officials, who asked not to be identified, said thegovernment might want Hasina out of the country as well as Khaleda.

Interim authority leader Fakhruddin Ahmed has said he hopes tohold the election before the end of 2008, after steps have been takento ensure ''criminals, terrorists and black money holders'' areexcluded from the process.

Such a timetable has been widely accepted in the impoverishedsouth Asian nation of over 140 million, where elections have long beendogged by ''black money and muscle power''.

Reuters

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