DHAKA, 16 August 2006 — Bangladesh security forces yesterday foiled an attempt by suspected militants to kill former Prime Minister Hasina Wajed, who was expected to attend a ceremony with her sister Rehan, to mark the 31st anniversary of the assassination of Bangladesh’s founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Four people were arrested overnight by an anti-terror force while they were allegedly planting two powerful explosives at a building of the Bangabandhu Museum dedicated to the memory of independence leader Sheikh Mujib.
Police at the museum in Dhaka claimed the devices were timed to explode during a ceremony.
Police arrested a man late Monday inside the memorial where Hasina, president of the opposition Awami League, was to place floral wreaths yesterday to honor Sheikh Mujib, the party said. The man was allegedly found cutting electrical wires as a part of an attempt to assassinate Hasina and her younger sister, Rehana, party spokesman Abdul Jalil said.
“The enemies of the country’s independence are still trying to kill the daughters of Bangabandhu (Mujib),” said Abdul Jalil, general secretary of Awami League.
Hasina and Rehana were expected to attend the ceremony along with other family members.
Three others were arrested following questioning of the man, he said. Police said they have launched an investigation, but did not release details.
“We are examining whether the four people detained on Monday are linked to any extremist group,” said a police officer. One of them was a student of a madrasa, he said.
The pro-Islamist rebels overthrew the “secular” Awami League government under Mujib in 1975 and stripped the founding president of his official title of “Father of the Nation”.
In 2004, Hasina escaped an apparent assassination attempt when several grenades exploded while she was speaking at an Awami League rally in Dhaka.
At least 23 party leaders and workers were killed and 150 were injured.
Police said the four detainees were living on the premises of a mosque in Mohammadpur district.
Authorities have failed to establish links between the detainees and other extremist groups, including the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahedeen group.
The Jamaat-ul-Mujahedeen orchestrated numerous bomb attacks last year that killed up to 30 people.
Security was tight in Dhaka where the Awami League had called for a strike to mark the anniversary of Mujib’s killing. Schools and many offices were shut in the city. Nearly 10,000 security forces were deployed across Dhaka yesterday to maintain law and order.
Clashes Over Power Cut
Residents stormed two power stations in the capital, clashed with police and attacked vehicles in the streets in the latest protests over shortages of electricity, officials said yesterday.
About 30 people were injured in clashes with police after protesters entered the generating stations in the old quarter of Dhaka earlier this week demanding an end to daily power cuts running into several hours.
“We are fed up with these cuts. They keep saying things will improve but there has been no change,” said businessman Mohammad Nasim.
With many existing plants shut, Bangladesh only produces around 3,200 megawatts of power a day against demand of 4,500 megawatts.
The government says a shortage of funds is affecting plans to build new power plants. Several new plants had been expected to start operations but they have fallen behind schedule, mainly because of lack of money.
“We are trying to address the situation but cannot do any miracle,” said an official with the state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board.
More than 20 people, most of them farmers, were killed in clashes with police early this year during demonstrations demanding adequate power for irrigation.
The situation is expected to get worse next month during the holy month of Ramadan, when shopping centers are open late into the night, consuming additional power, officials said.
