Hasina terms extortion cases against her as false

Dhaka, June 15 (UNI) Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today termed the extortion cases against her as false and fabricated, alleging that a conspiracy is being hatched to keep her away from future elections.

''We've the right to serve people and the people have right to get service, but conspiracy is being cooked up so that I can't participate in the election. This is nothing but a crooked design,'' she told reporters at her Dhanmondi residence.

Ms Hasina, who is facing two extortion cases involving Tk eight crore (1.2 million US dollars), claimed she had heard that 30 more such cases would be filed against her and businessmen from different companies were being ''organised'' and their signatures collected forcibly to file the cases. ''Let them file 100 cases, let there be an investigation. If I am proved guilty let them punish me. But I know, I didn't commit any wrong. Even then I know they may punish me through false cases,'' she said.

About the allegations of extortion against her, the Awami League chief said there was a difference between extortion and donation, but they have ''messed it up''.

If someone voluntarily donated money, that was not extortion, she said, adding that donation was needed to run a party as the government did not provide funds for political party.

Ms Hasina alleged that pressure was being put on lawyers not to provide legal aid to the accused. Flaying the ''double standard,'' she said on one hand, the government wanted to separate the judiciary and on the other, it was trying to put pressure on lawyers not to appear for the accused.

Questioning the motive behind the extortion cases, the former prime minister who ruled Bangladesh for five years since 1996, said having found nothing against her, extortion cases were being filed after such a long time. ''I can swear, I didn't seek anything throughout my personal and political life.'' On the reported restriction on her travel to US, Ms Hasina said she could not perceive why the government put restrictions on her return and departure on the plea of problems in investigations into the cases against her. ''Why is the government is harassing me through false cases?'' She said ''If I possessed so much money, my expecting daughter (in America) will have no need to attend her work by driving car for one hour, my daughter-in-law (America) will not be required to attend office by leaving her minor baby my sister Sheikh Rehana would not have to travel by bus to attend her office everyday in London. If I had so much money, all could lead lives in luxury.'' On the reported restriction on her scheduled departure for US tonight, she questioned why she would not be allowed to attend her daughter who is expected to give birth to a baby after three weeks.

UNI