Hasina seeks ACC chief's advice
Tuesday, 31 July 2007
Detained former prime minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina Monday wrote a letter to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury seeking advice and cooperation in submitting her wealth statement, reports UNB.
"Yes, the Commission received a letter from Sheikh Hasina this (Monday) afternoon through jail authorities. In the letter, she stated how she would submit the statement since she is now in jail and Bangladesh Bank is not providing her account details. Besides, documents have been seized from her residence. So the former prime minister sought advice and cooperation in this regard," said a competent source.
The source said, "In the letter, she also mentioned the illness of her husband and staying of her children abroad."
Meanwhile, ACC Secretary Mokhles ur Rahman in the Commission's regular briefing at 4:00 pm said Hasina must submit her wealth statement by August 8 according to the existing law and he did not mention about such a letter.
"As per the existing law, she (Hasina) has until August 8 to submit her wealth statement. There is no scope of extending time under the existing law. Law is equal to all," he said replying to a volley of questions about the AL chief's submission of wealth statement in the stipulated time.
When his attention was drawn to the fact that Hasina cannot submit a flawless statement since documents have been seized from her residence and the Bangladesh Bank refused to provide her accounts details, the ACC secretary said, "ACC has nothing to do with the Bangladesh Bank in this regard. Now she has time until August 8. Wait and see."
Asked if 'wait and see' means there is some way to further extend the time, he said, "Not in the existing law." Asked if there would be some special arrangements for Hasina, he replied, "Law is equal to all."
Pointed out how Hasina and Khaleda can submit their full statements when the Bangladesh Bank refuses to provide their account details, Mokhles said the central bank is run independently and the Commission has no relation with it.
Asked if the Commission could assist Hasina in any way, he said, "We'll see whether she provides complete or incomplete statement. Submission of her statement by August 8 is important for the ACC."
Asked whether her time could be extended with court order, he said, "No comment."
The ACC on July 17 issued notices to two former prime ministers Hasina and Khaleda Zia directing them to submit their wealth statements within seven working days. Khaleda's notice was sent to her cantonment residence while that of Hasina to her sub-jail through the prison authorities.
Khaleda received the notice the following day (July 18) and Hasina received it a day later because of a controversy over its (notice) language. Hasina had written a letter to the Commission claiming that the notice was full of mistakes.
The notices to the BNP and AL chiefs were issued in accordance with section 26(1) of the ACC Act, 2004 and section 17 of the ACC Rules, 2007 allowing them seven working days to comply with the directives.
"Yes, the Commission received a letter from Sheikh Hasina this (Monday) afternoon through jail authorities. In the letter, she stated how she would submit the statement since she is now in jail and Bangladesh Bank is not providing her account details. Besides, documents have been seized from her residence. So the former prime minister sought advice and cooperation in this regard," said a competent source.
The source said, "In the letter, she also mentioned the illness of her husband and staying of her children abroad."
Meanwhile, ACC Secretary Mokhles ur Rahman in the Commission's regular briefing at 4:00 pm said Hasina must submit her wealth statement by August 8 according to the existing law and he did not mention about such a letter.
"As per the existing law, she (Hasina) has until August 8 to submit her wealth statement. There is no scope of extending time under the existing law. Law is equal to all," he said replying to a volley of questions about the AL chief's submission of wealth statement in the stipulated time.
When his attention was drawn to the fact that Hasina cannot submit a flawless statement since documents have been seized from her residence and the Bangladesh Bank refused to provide her accounts details, the ACC secretary said, "ACC has nothing to do with the Bangladesh Bank in this regard. Now she has time until August 8. Wait and see."
Asked if 'wait and see' means there is some way to further extend the time, he said, "Not in the existing law." Asked if there would be some special arrangements for Hasina, he replied, "Law is equal to all."
Pointed out how Hasina and Khaleda can submit their full statements when the Bangladesh Bank refuses to provide their account details, Mokhles said the central bank is run independently and the Commission has no relation with it.
Asked if the Commission could assist Hasina in any way, he said, "We'll see whether she provides complete or incomplete statement. Submission of her statement by August 8 is important for the ACC."
Asked whether her time could be extended with court order, he said, "No comment."
The ACC on July 17 issued notices to two former prime ministers Hasina and Khaleda Zia directing them to submit their wealth statements within seven working days. Khaleda's notice was sent to her cantonment residence while that of Hasina to her sub-jail through the prison authorities.
Khaleda received the notice the following day (July 18) and Hasina received it a day later because of a controversy over its (notice) language. Hasina had written a letter to the Commission claiming that the notice was full of mistakes.
The notices to the BNP and AL chiefs were issued in accordance with section 26(1) of the ACC Act, 2004 and section 17 of the ACC Rules, 2007 allowing them seven working days to comply with the directives.