Row over security cover for Hasina

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA, JUNE 3. The Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad, which meets on June 6 in its last session, is likely to enact a new law for providing security to Sheikh Hasina, who is going to complete her five-year tenure as Prime Minister, marking a landmark in the country's parliamentary history.

The current Parliament, which will complete its term on July 13, is the first one to do so in Bangladesh's 30-year history. The previous Houses could not complete their terms either due to military interventions or anti-Government agitations.

The issue of Sheikh Hasina's security, after she steps down from the office, has started causing serious concern among the Awami League's policy planners. A party delegation met the President, Mr. Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, and explained to him the different aspects of the planned legislation to provide security to Sheikh Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehena, the two surviving daughters of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the nation to freedom from Pakistan. The assassins of Mujib, many of whom are at large, were sentenced to death by the High Court recently.

While the security threats to Hasina and her family members are real, particularly ahead of the crucial election and in view of the risks they face now after the conviction of Mujib's killers, the issue was taken up by the mainstream Opposition politically. A delegation of the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) met the President on May 28 and requested him not to give assent to the proposed Bill.

The Opposition has alleged that after passing the law to ensure state security to Sheikh Hasina, she would continue to live in ``Ganobhaban'', her official residence, and this would have a psychological impact on the voters in the coming election. They also complained to the President that in the name of state security, Sheikh Hasina would continue to enjoy state protocol.

A high profile delegation of the ruling party, while informing the President of their firm stand on ``no compromise on the security issue of Hasina'', criticised the Opposition for ``misinterpretation and falsehood''. They said the Opposition leader and the former Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, had been continuously enjoying all such facilities, since the assassination of her husband, Gen. Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. The Awami League delegation consisting of senior Ministers, expressed grave concern over threats to Sheikh Hasina's life. In such a situation, they observed, providing special security to Hasina was the prime responsibility of the state. ``We are now more concerned about her security after the High Court verdict sentencing the killers of the Father of the Nation'', the Finance Minister, Mr. S.A.M.S. Kibria, told reporters after coming out of Bangabhaban, the President's house.

The ruling party leaders pointed out that such security measures were ensured for former Prime Ministers and Presidents and their family in many countries, including India and Sri Lanka. Even Begum Khaleda Zia and her children have been enjoying all facilities including housing, cars, allowances and maintenance cost of her two houses - one in the Dhaka cantonment and other in the posh Gulshan residential area - for more than 20 years. Despite being the daughters of the country's independence leader, Sheikh Hasina and her sister had refused facilities offered by the past military Governments.

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Section  : International
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