Sheikh Hasina vows to defy ban on her return

Singapore, Apr 19: Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to defy the army backed interim government's bar on her return to the country, telling the BBC she planned to arrive in Dhaka next Monday.

The Awami League party chief, currently on a private visit to the United States, said that ''nothing would stop'' her return to participate in elections and defend herself against charges of murder and extortion.

Hasina told the BBC's Bengali service she would fly today to London and travel on to Dhaka on April 23.

''My duty is to the people of my country and I owe it to them to fight the election and defend myself against fabricated criminal charges,'' she was quoted as saying.

The Bangladesh government yesterday said that security forces and immigration authorities had been put on alert to take ''necessary actions'' to thwart Hasina's return.

''If she returns to the country it is feared that she will again jeopardise discipline and economic activities in the country through provocative statements,'' the Home Ministry said.

Hasina's arch-rival, Begum Khaleda Zia, is also battling government efforts to drive her into exile.

National politics in Bangladesh had been polarised for a decade between Hasina's Awami League and Khaleda's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Hasina and Khaleda, whose term as prime minister ended last October, have both been widely blamed for years of political confrontation that frequently spilled into the streets.

The army-backed administration, which declared a state of emergency in January amid mounting violence and cancelled planned elections, arrested Khaleda's elder son last month on corruption charges.

It was reported to have offered to deal leniently with him if the BNP leader agreed to go into exile in Saudi Arabia.

Authorities also detained her younger son last Sunday night but released him the following day. Media said the release was part of the deal for Khaleda to go abroad.

That deal appeared to have been sealed, only for Khaleda to change her mind, a close associate told Reuters yesterday.

REUTERS

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