Talks for Hasina’s parole on

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Detained Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina is likely to be released on parole within a week for going to US for treatment.

“Everything will be finalised in this regard within four to five days,” said a senior AL leader preferring not to be named. Talks on the issue are now going on between the authorities and Hasina and some other party leaders, he added.

Sources said some members of the AL chief’s family, party leaders and a group of foreign diplomats are in close contact with the authorities to facilitate her going to US for ear treatment.

Once the authorities and the former prime minister reach a consensus over her release on parole and some other conditions, then everything would be sorted out within a few days, the sources said.

Hasina was taken to Square Hospital again yesterday morning for eye check-up and brought back to the special jail after nearly three hours of health examination.

Meanwhile, the government is learnt to be considering positively the AL president’s release on parole but taking time to reach a consensus with her and the AL over some conditions including a guarantee to take part in the next general election in any circumstances and to avoid movements after her return home following treatment in US.

But the AL is yet to make its position clear on participation in the election in any circumstances. A high profile meeting of the party yesterday decided that they would not go for movements and would prepare for the election. The party’s future strategies were also discussed at the meeting.

“But finally a green signal from Sheikh Hasina is a must for joining the electoral race. She had earlier directed us to take part in the election even if she is barred from contesting it,” said a key leader of the AL.

Sources said the AL would not make any kind of commitment with the authorities concerning the party chief but would welcome any decisions taken by her on going to US and coming back to the country.

Highly placed sources said some advisers of the caretaker government on Tuesday discussed the issue of allowing Hasina to go to US on parole to avert a chaotic situation in the country as the AL made repeated threats in the last few days to go for tougher agitations.

“If she is sent to US, then we have to move towards the election, giving up the present hard line,” said another senior AL leader.

The AL’s secret meeting yesterday was held at acting party President Zillur Rahman’s Gulshan residence in the capital to finalise the patty stance over sending Hasina abroad.

It assigned acting AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam to keep contact with the authorities in this regard.

Earlier, AL Organising Secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury held a meeting with some foreign diplomats Tuesday evening at a European diplomat’s residence.

Later, Saber went to Zillur Rahman’s residence and had talks with him. Party AL leaders Tofail Ahmed, Asaduzzaman Nur and Rahmat Ullah were also present there.

Following the talks, Zillur telephoned some senior presidium members of the party including Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta and acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam to join the meeting yesterday morning.

Talking to The Daily Star, Suranjit said the meeting discussed the situation after Sheikh Hasina leaves the country. “But we want she is sent abroad as early as possible.”

In reply to question, he said there would be no need to go for movements if the AL chief is sent abroad. “Everything is being done to resolve the issue through discussion with the authorities,” he added.

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