Hasina debarred from visiting landslide victims in Chittagong

Dhaka, June 14 (UNI) Bangladesh's former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina was debarred from visiting landslide victims in the country's southeastern city Chittagong today.

''I am shocked and saddened that I was prevented from standing beside the affected people and extending help to them,'' Ms Hasina, who is facing a number of extortion cases under the military-backed caretaker government, said in a press statement.

''On the contrary, conspiratorial cases are being filed against me,'' she added.

Ms Hasina was scheduled to leave here for Chittagong by road this morning but police said she cannot go following instructions from higher authorities.

Witnesses said hundreds of female and riot police were posted around her residence in Dhanmondi residential area in central Dhaka.

Under the state of emergency imposed on January 11, all political activities were banned by the interim caretaker government.

Terming the government action ''inhuman, undemocratic, unconstitutional and contrary to individual freedom'' the Awami League President said, ''There was no politics in it. I wanted to visit the affected people on moral and humanitarian grounds.'' It is the responsibility of a government to take cooperation from all in alleviating the sufferings of the victims of a natural calamity, she said.

''It is a long tradition of Awami League to stand beside the affected humanity but the government has set an example of rejection of cooperation hand, '' Ms Hasina added.

Ms Hasina is scheduled to leave Dhaka for the US tomorrow to attend her lone daughter who is expecting a baby early next month.

Meanwhile, as many as four criminal cases, including three of extortion involving about 1.2 million US dollars, were filed by private business farms against the former Prime Minister.

UNI