International

Hasina's residence under siege?

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA Feb. 27. Although the Bangladesh authorities have denied allegations that the former Prime Minister and Opposition leader, Sheikh Hasina's residence was put under siege, her party leaders have said that "Sudha Sadhan", where Hasina lives, is under heavy police surveillance.

The allegation was made after detective police arrested 10 central leaders of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), students wing of the Awami League, in front of "Sudha Sadan" on Monday without showing any charge against them. The student leaders had gone to greet Ms. Hasina on Eid.

Several leading newspapers have reported that plainclothes and uniformed police have been posted at all entry points around Sudha Sadan at Road No. 5 of Dhanmondi residential area. "It appears that the house is under siege...'', said a personal staff of Hasina, adding "even the domestic servants are being interrogated and harassed when they go out''.

The former Home Minister and party's organising secretary, Mohammad Nasim, alleged at a hurriedly called news conference today, that no one was allowed to enter or leave Sudha Sadan without thorough interrogation by the police.

The political secretary to opposition leader, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, said "the objective is still unclear but it appears that the government either wants to keep her under confinement or isolate her from the people by creating panic among her visitors''.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Saudi plan flexible: Peres
• Bush welcomes initiative
• Hasina's residence under siege?
• Concern over British detenus at Camp X-ray
• No clear winner for the top Oscar
• `Refugees afraid to return home'
• Bangladesh charge against BSF
• 10 held for attack on Pak. mosque
• Chandrika denies threat to cancel pact
• New Delhi a transit point in heroin trafficking: U.N. report
• Army gets two advanced light copters
• `Pak. not against extradition of Omar Sheik'

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu