Bangladesh HC asks Govt about Zia's confinement

Dhaka, Apr 22 (UNI) A High Court bench in Bangladesh today asked the military-backed interim government to explain within five days why former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia should not be brought before it to satisfy that she is not under confinement at her Dhaka cantonment residence.

The bench passed the rule as the government side apparently failed to satisfy the court that she is not detained.

Earlier, a supporter of beleaguered Khaleda filed a writ petition in the High Court complaining that the former Prime Minister is confined to her house. She is not allowed to come out of her house and all telephone connections in her house were snapped for the past two weeks.

The court expressed concern over the matter and asked the Attorney General to inform them of the actual condition of Khaleda Zia who is reportedly now under intense pressure by the government to quit the country.

Khaleda handed over power to the interim government last October on completion of her five-year rule for fresh electoral mandate. But widespread political riots over the general elections forced promulgation of a state of emergency and postponement of the general elections originally slated for January 22.

National dailies and television channels have been reporting for the last few days that Khaleda would be sent in exile in Saudi Arabia anytime by the interim government. But close aide Brig (Retd) Hannan Shah told the media that she does not want to go to Saudi Arabia, rather wants to face allegation at home, if there is any.

In another development, a Magistrate Court here today issued a warrant of arrest for another former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the allegation that she had a hand behind the killing of six political workers from her rival party Jamaat-e-Islami during the street violence last October.

However, Hasina who is now in London on way to Dhaka is facing travel restrictions imposed by the caretaker authorities.Consequently, the British Airways is unwilling to issue her a boarding pass to travel from London to Dhaka. She is scheduled to return here tomorrow.

Political analysts here said the government's double-pronged actions against Khaleda and Hasina are aimed at preventing the two women from future politics as they are blamed for patronizing confrontational politics for their own political interest at the cost of huge economic losses over the years.

UNI