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Hasina vows to contest polls despite denial of bail

DHAKA: The former Prime Minister and Awami League chief, Sheikh Hasina, who is expected to return home on November 10, has vowed to contest the December 18 general election despite being denied bail by the High Court in a corruption case.

Ms. Hasina, who was released from jail on June 11 and is now on parole, is receiving medical treatment overseas. “I am going back, though they did not grant me bail. But I have to go back and I will contest the election. Let my people decide,” she said in Washington on Friday.

She told VOA that she would return to Bangladesh and her party will not boycott the elections. Ms. Hasina was denied bail in a case where she is accused of extorting taka 5 crore from a businessman when she was Prime Minister. She has dismissed the charges as false and motivated.

Ms. Hasina said the economy is her top priority. “I want economic emancipation of our people. People are suffering because of the price hike. The inflation rate is in double digits. So, our people are really suffering a lot,” she said.

On Thursday, she met U.S. diplomat Richard Boucher and requested the U.S. to send observers to Bangladesh to ensure the elections are free and fair. Meanwhile, Ms. Hasina’s arch rival, the former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief, Khaleda Zia, has demanded the Election Commissioners’ resignation, claiming they are not neutral.

“It is very clear that the Election Commission is speaking in favour of a particular party. If they really want a free, fair and neutral election, then they should resign and hand over power to unbiased people,’ she said. Ms. Zia, who was also released from jail recently on bail, called the present caretaker government as “not neutral” and alleged the “people” of a particular party are being appointed at various levels, including the administration and educational institutions. Her party’s ally Jamaat-e-Islami is under the Election Commission’s scanner due to the volley of protests by freedom fighters and civil society leaders. The Jamaat-e-Islami has also said the Election Commission can never hold a free, fair and credible election.

Ms. Zia levelled a scathing allegation of the present military-backed government. “In fact, this government has been appointed to protect the interest of that party,” she said without referring to the chaos the country was embroiled in before the Emergency was proclaimed. She said the situation would get worse if the government does not demit office after the elections. Both the major parties have demanded withdrawal of Emergency before the election to facilitate a free and fair election.

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