Most suspected corrupt bigwigs held during crackdown freed

---

Most of the suspected corrupt bigwigs, including politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen, arrested during the army-led joint forces' anti-corruption crackdown following last year's political changeover are now free from incarceration, reports UNB.
A few of them have been set free on parole on health grounds for overseas treatment, including Awami League (AL) President and ex-PM Sheikh Hasina and its general secretary MA Jalil and organizing secretary Mohammad Nasim, BNP senior joint secretary general Tarique Rahman, while the others on serial bails.
According to jail authorities, over 150 VIP politicians like former ministers and lawmakers, businessmen and senior-level government officials had been detained on charges of corruption and abuse of power for individual gains since January 11, 2007.
The post-1/11 purge was launched after the military-baked caretaker government assumed power amid turbulent political standoff on national election issues.
According to prosecution, 100 of the corruption suspects in all categories have so far secured interim bail from the High Court pending trial. Of them, 16 are from BNP, 13 from AL and one each is from Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiya Party and LDP while the rest are businessmen and senior government officials.
Authorities say 23 VIPs out of 65 have walked to freedom to date from Dhaka Central Jail alone.
Freed BNP stalwarts are BNP Chairperson and ex-PM Khaleda Zia, her political affairs adviser Salah Uddin Quader Chowdhury, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, MK Anwar and M Shamsul Islam, Awami League presidium member Kazi Zafarullah, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain and Obaidul Quader, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, business-tycoon Salman F Rahman and Abdul Awal Mintu and bureaucrat Dr Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury.
Some 10 VIPs, including former BNP Minister Tariqul Islam, Chittagong City Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury and former BNP State Minister Amanullah Aman, are still in prison cell either of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University or BIRDEM.
Several others of the high-profile prisoners, including former BNP lawmakers Mosaddek Ali Falu, Silver Selim, Dour Salauddin of Demra and Salauddin Ahmed of Cox's Bazar, are detained in Kashimpur jail.
DIG (prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddiqui told UNB that some 50 VIPs out of over 100 people had already been freed from different jails across the country.
Counsel for the VIPs facing corruption charges told UNB that they were released on bail due to flaws in the filing of the cases and procedural errors. "They, now on interim bail, will have to face the trial," said one counsel.