Date:20/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/20/stories/2007092055671500.htm

International

Army has no political role, says Dhaka

Haroon Habib

DHAKA: The head of Bangladesh’s military-backed interim government, Fakhruddin Ahmed, has dismissed the notion that the country is under a “dual rule” — by the military and the civilian administration — and refuted any political role for the armed forces in the government.

“I don’t feel the existence of a dual rule”, he said in an interview with the BBC Bangla Service.

Mr. Ahmed said, “The army is assisting the civilian government and playing an important role in curbing corruption, improving law and order, distributing flood relief. I don’t see the reflection of their political role through these activities.”

Cartoonist held

Meanwhile, a young cartoonist of a popular Bengali daily was arrested by the police on Wednesday. Police said the cartoonist, Arifur Rahman, was arrested on charge drawing a cartoon that hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims.

The arrest was made by an order of the government, saying that the cartoon published in the latest issue of Alpin, a supplement of the daily Prothom Alo, “has hurt the religious sentiments of the people”.