Former Premier of Bangladesh released from jail

Former Prime Minister and President of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) Sheikh Hasina has been released from imprisonment at mid day on June 11, 2008 after a week long legal hassle. She will leave from Dhaka for North America on June 12, Thursday.

At early working hours of June 11, the home ministry of the government approved an 8 weeks parole for the ailing former premier through a circular. She was arrested 11 months ago charged of corruption. Political Observers said that the release of Sheikh Hasina will have a positive impact on the current political scenario.

It was almost finalised that government is going to release Sheikh Hasina on 11 June as the legal process had already started last Sunday. Supporters, workers, leaders were gathering in front of the sub-jail, where Hasina was detained, Banga Bandhu Museum of 32 Dhandi and around Sudha Sadan, the private residence of AL president.

In connection of Sheikh Hasina’s release police administration enhanced security in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh from early hours of the day. At 2 pm Sheikh Hasina was released from the Sub-jail. Afterwards, she went to Banga Bandhu Museum and at 2:45 pm she reached at her residence where she was welcomed by Zillur Rahman, the Acting President of AL along with other senior leaders and hundreds of supporters and workers.

On Sunday last the lawyers of Sheikh Hasina submit a petition to exempt her personal appearance at court in the hearing session of the cases filed against her. Till Tuesday courts and administration completed the process and on Wednesday (11 June) AL president became free for an 8 weeks parole from 11 month imprisonment.

Though it is not clear that government representatives and Sheikh Hasina would be in an official meeting or not, analysts said that this initiative of government would be able to impact positively in present political scenario.

It has been assumed that now AL will be in the process of dialogue and election, which would be a psychological pressure on Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to take a positive decision about the dialogue. It is also told by many political observers that BNP alone is not in a position presently, and that they could lead the supporter to boycott.