Bangladesh politicians held in custody

DHAKA, May 30 (Reuters) A Bangladesh court has ruled that several political and industry leaders can be held in custody for interrogation, officials said today, as part of the army-led government's crackdown on corruption.

Awami League party General Secretary Abdul Jalil, former junior home affairs minister Lutfuzzaman Babar and top businessman M A Hashem were ordered held for four days, a registrar of the court said.

Former health minister Sheikh (Fazlul Karim) Selim and Abdul Awal Mintoo, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, were ordered held for three and four days respectively.

Selim, a cousin of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, was in her cabinet between 1996 to 2001. Mintoo, an ardent supporter of Hasina's rival Begum Khaleda Zia, was president of the national chamber in 2003-05.

The court also sent to jail on 30-day detention orders retired air vice-marshal Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, who was a former home minister in the government of ex-prime minister Khaleda, and two other junior ministers, including one from Hasina's government.

The interim government says it will hold an election, originally slated for January this year, only after reforming the country's political system and purging corruption. It has vowed to hold a new vote before the end of 2008.

Since January, more than 170 people, including former ministers of the governments of Hasina and Khaleda, have been detained. The authorities have also launched a speedy trial process to prosecute detained politicians and officials.

The interim government headed by former central bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed took charge on January 11 after imposing a state of emergency following deadly political violence.

INDIA ARRESTS The anti-graft drive crossed into India yesterday where border security forces said they arrested former Awami lawmaker Mirza Azam and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, chief of the party's youth front Awami Juba League. Both are wanted by Bangladesh.

Mainul Husein, interim head of the law and information ministries, said late yesterday that not all of the detainees were thought to be corrupt.

''But they might give some clues to busting corruption done by their colleagues,'' Mainul told reporters.

''We have to oust corrupt leaders ... so that we can hold a credible, election for which we have been mandated.'' Osman Gani, head of the forestry department, was arrested with an unexplained 145,000 dollars and large quantity of jewellery at his home in Dhaka, police said.

Hasina blasted the interim government for the arrests and said the campaign was intended to divert public attention from its failures.

''The government has totally failed to control the price hike of commodities, and to cover their failure they are now arresting political leaders,'' she told reporters.

''It's as if they are not fighting the corruption, but out to destroy politicians.'' REUTERS GL VV1938