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Download PDF Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday strongly condemned the detention of her party’s General Secretary Abdul Jalil and said the government’s ongoing drive seems to be against politics, not corruption.
The people want to see a democratic environment followed by a free and fair election and their patience is wearing thin with every passing day, she observed.
Speaking to reporters at her Dhanmondi residence last night, the former prime minister demanded immediate release of the AL leaders including Jalil.
She said, “Public want a relief from this suffocating situation.”
She said the real corrupts might break free if the government does not stop what she said was the political harassment.
Things are always good for people when democracy and good governance are in place, said Hasina, adding that countrymen were better-off during her regime as they did not have to face power crisis and price hike of essentials.
She said the government has detained the AL general secretary despite his wanting to help them over the reform issue.
The AL chief continued, “They might arrest me or even kill me as I’m talking [to the press]. But they don’t see any violation of law in meeting at a restaurant to form a new political party.
“We campaigned against rampant crime and corruption, and the plot to rig election by the four-party alliance and the present government is the product of our movement. But they now seem out to act against us.”
She said, “The Election Commission and the government must answer what they have done in the last four and a half months. They could not even upgrade the vote list yet when the Supreme Court has ordered [the EC] to do so.”
Hasina said she wants to know where the country stands and where it is heading for.
“They have arrested the general secretary of the party like Awami League. Is it a crime that he has written to the embassies?” she questioned.
She said she wonders why the government does not look for those who had made a huge fortune and became owners of TV channels in the last five years.
She added that they too were in power but none of their leaders or relations had been involved in such kind of activities.
Urging the military-backed government to arrest those who are real corrupts and corrupt she said, “The administration has no control over the prices of essentials and how come one says the law and order has improved when an army colonel’s son gets killed in the broad daylight.”
Among others, AL Presidium Member Motia Chowdhury, former lawmaker Rahmat Ullah, Col (retired) Farukh Khan, Major General (retired) Subid Ali Bhuiyan were present.
May 30th, 2007 at 2:36 am
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina sounds well upset with arrest of her gen/sec Abdul jalil. Lets wait and see what are the charges before making any comments or condemnations, but Ms Hasina your demand wont work this time. The people of Bangladesh are tired of your and Khaleda’s political destruction to the countries economical disaster. In many occasion you have always “exaggerated” with the idea of that you may be assassinated, this foolish ideology must end. Ms Hasina as you served the country as Prime minister, definitely aware of the law and order well, but your claim of better governance has proved you at the end of your term.