DHAKA, 11 April 2007 — Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina Wajed will return home to face corruption charges, her party officials insisted yesterday, despite speculation she may not come back at all.
Awami League presidium member Fazlul Karim Selim told newsmen Hasina has decided to cut short her US visit and return home on April 14.
A statement issued by the party earlier said, “The case is part of a conspiracy to damage Hasina’s political reputation. This is baseless and a blatant lie. We will fight it as per legal provisions.”
Police said yesterday that an investigation into the allegations against Hasina had already started.
Retired Maj. Gen. M.A. Matin, an adviser to the interim government and coordinator of the National Law and Order Committee, said the probe might be shifted to a special task force dealing with cases involving VIPs.
“The charges (against Hasina) are nine years old and we need to dig deep into it, to find reliable details,” he told reporters.
“This is not an issue between the ex-premier and this government. And we don’t have any involvement, beyond ensuring a proper investigation,” he added.
Party officials said Hasina, Awami League president and a former prime minister, would return from the United States to face accusations of extortion brought by the Bangladeshi head of a Malaysian company.
“She will definitely return home. There is no question about it,” said Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil.
The chief executive officer of Westmont Bangladesh Limited, a Malaysian-owned company, filed the charges of extortion of 30 million taka ($434,000) late on Monday.
Police said Hasina, who also fronts a 19-party opposition alliance, would face arrest if the allegations by Tajul Islam Faruq stood up after initial investigation.
The claim came just days after Hasina blasted the military-backed government for delaying elections. She would be barred from contesting elections if a court found her guilty of extortion.
