Police get court approval to stop Hasina going abroad
Friday, 15 June 2007
A travel restriction was in process to bar Awami League President Sheikh Hasina from leaving the country today (Friday) as she is facing extortion cases, report agencies.
A Dhaka court Thursday asked the police and the immigration to stop Sheikh Hasina going abroad if it was necessary for the sake of investigation into two extortion cases filed against the former prime minister Wednesday.
Hasina is scheduled to fly to the US today (Friday) to see her relatives.
The latest court order came after the police sought approval from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka, a day after the Awami League (AL) chief was sued by two businessmen for extorting Tk 80 million (8 crore) in two cases.
The court asked one of the investigation officers (IO) in the extortion cases against Hasina to take legal action in consultation with the immigration authorities against her planned visit to USA.
Magistrate Shamsul Alam passed the order Thursday responding to an application of the IO.
Two cases of extortion involving nearly Tk 80 million (8 crore) were filed against Hasina Wednesday by Noor Ali, managing director of Unique Group, and Azam J Chowdhury, managing director of East Coast Trading Pvt Ltd, with Tejgaon and Gulshan police stations respectively.
In the application, the IO said he has got information that former prime minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina would leave the country for USA.
Since an inquiry is already on, it might suffer setback at this stage of investigation if she leaves the country, he said.
Furthermore, the IO said if she left the country, there is a
possibility that she might remain fugitive forever without returning to the country. Under the circumstances, he urged the court to issue necessary orders to restrict her from leaving the country.
After a hearing, magistrate Alam said, "The investigators may take necessary action as the cases were filed on cognisable charges."
Earlier, on April 9, the first extortion case of Tk 30 million (3 crore) was filed against Sheikh Hasina by Chairman of Westmont Power Kazi Tajul Islam Faruq while she was in USA.
In another development, AL President Sheikh Hasina was debarred from visiting landslide victims in Chittagong Thursday. The AL chief termed the government action as inhuman, undemocratic, unconstitutional and contrary to individual freedom.
"I am shocked and saddened that I was prevented from standing beside the affected people and extending help to them," she said in a press statement. "On the contrary, conspiratorial cases are being filed against me," she said.
Hasina was scheduled to leave the city for Chittagong by road at 7:00 am but police said she could not go following instructions from higher authorities.
Witnesses said two platoons of female police and four platoons of riot police were posted near her Sudha Sadan residence in Dhanmondi since morning.
"There was no politics in it…I wanted to visit the affected people on moral and humanitarian ground," said the statement read out to reporters by senior presidium member Sajeda Chowdhury at the entrance of the road leading to Sudha Sadan.
Terming the government action as inhuman, the Awami League chief said it is the responsibility of a government to take cooperation from all in alleviating the sufferings of the victims of a natural calamity.
"It is a long tradition of Awami League to stand beside the affected humanity but the government has set an example of rejection of cooperation hand," Hasina said.
Earlier, Sajeda Chowdhury went to visit Hasina at her Sudha Sadan residence at around 10.00 am and briefed journalists at around 11.35 am.
The AL presidium member said Sheikh Hasina is surrounded by the police and she was not allowed to go to Chittagong. The police verbally told the AL chief that 'they have been instructed by the higher authorities not to allow Sheikh Hasina to go to Chittagong.'
Sajeda Chowdhury said no change has been made in Hasina's scheduled US tour.
AL presidium member Motia Chowdhury, former lawmaker Faruk Khan, Subid Ali Bhuiyan and AL leader Nazma Rahman met Hasina at her Sudha Sadan residence.
A Dhaka court Thursday asked the police and the immigration to stop Sheikh Hasina going abroad if it was necessary for the sake of investigation into two extortion cases filed against the former prime minister Wednesday.
Hasina is scheduled to fly to the US today (Friday) to see her relatives.
The latest court order came after the police sought approval from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka, a day after the Awami League (AL) chief was sued by two businessmen for extorting Tk 80 million (8 crore) in two cases.
The court asked one of the investigation officers (IO) in the extortion cases against Hasina to take legal action in consultation with the immigration authorities against her planned visit to USA.
Magistrate Shamsul Alam passed the order Thursday responding to an application of the IO.
Two cases of extortion involving nearly Tk 80 million (8 crore) were filed against Hasina Wednesday by Noor Ali, managing director of Unique Group, and Azam J Chowdhury, managing director of East Coast Trading Pvt Ltd, with Tejgaon and Gulshan police stations respectively.
In the application, the IO said he has got information that former prime minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina would leave the country for USA.
Since an inquiry is already on, it might suffer setback at this stage of investigation if she leaves the country, he said.
Furthermore, the IO said if she left the country, there is a
possibility that she might remain fugitive forever without returning to the country. Under the circumstances, he urged the court to issue necessary orders to restrict her from leaving the country.
After a hearing, magistrate Alam said, "The investigators may take necessary action as the cases were filed on cognisable charges."
Earlier, on April 9, the first extortion case of Tk 30 million (3 crore) was filed against Sheikh Hasina by Chairman of Westmont Power Kazi Tajul Islam Faruq while she was in USA.
In another development, AL President Sheikh Hasina was debarred from visiting landslide victims in Chittagong Thursday. The AL chief termed the government action as inhuman, undemocratic, unconstitutional and contrary to individual freedom.
"I am shocked and saddened that I was prevented from standing beside the affected people and extending help to them," she said in a press statement. "On the contrary, conspiratorial cases are being filed against me," she said.
Hasina was scheduled to leave the city for Chittagong by road at 7:00 am but police said she could not go following instructions from higher authorities.
Witnesses said two platoons of female police and four platoons of riot police were posted near her Sudha Sadan residence in Dhanmondi since morning.
"There was no politics in it…I wanted to visit the affected people on moral and humanitarian ground," said the statement read out to reporters by senior presidium member Sajeda Chowdhury at the entrance of the road leading to Sudha Sadan.
Terming the government action as inhuman, the Awami League chief said it is the responsibility of a government to take cooperation from all in alleviating the sufferings of the victims of a natural calamity.
"It is a long tradition of Awami League to stand beside the affected humanity but the government has set an example of rejection of cooperation hand," Hasina said.
Earlier, Sajeda Chowdhury went to visit Hasina at her Sudha Sadan residence at around 10.00 am and briefed journalists at around 11.35 am.
The AL presidium member said Sheikh Hasina is surrounded by the police and she was not allowed to go to Chittagong. The police verbally told the AL chief that 'they have been instructed by the higher authorities not to allow Sheikh Hasina to go to Chittagong.'
Sajeda Chowdhury said no change has been made in Hasina's scheduled US tour.
AL presidium member Motia Chowdhury, former lawmaker Faruk Khan, Subid Ali Bhuiyan and AL leader Nazma Rahman met Hasina at her Sudha Sadan residence.