Politics

¶ April 22, 2007 Sunday

^Murder warrant issued against Bangladesh ex-leader Hasina as she prepares to return home<
^By JULHAS ALAM=
^Associated Press Writer=
¶ DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) _ A court issued an arrest warrant against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday, her lawyer said, as she was poised to return to Bangladesh despite a warning from the military-backed government.
¶ The warrant comes amid news reports that the government is trying to force Hasina and her archrival, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, into exile in order to calm a bitter division between their two political camps that has derailed the young nation's fragile democracy.
¶ The High Court, meanwhile, asked the government to explain clearly in writing if Zia is under house arrest, a domestic news agency reported.
¶ Media reports have said that Zia, who ended her latest five-year term in October and has agreed to go into exile in Saudi Arabia, is under house arrest.
¶ Justice M. A. Wahhab Mian told a state counsel that the government should clearly state whether Zia is being held, the United News of Bangladesh agency reported.
¶ Officials could not be reached immediately for comment.
¶ On Saturday, an intelligence official told The Associated Press that said Zia would leave the country with her younger son and other family members within the next few days as part of a deal to go into exile. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue.
¶ The government on Wednesday accused Zia's rival Hasina of issuing "inflammatory statements" against the country's military-backed interim government while she was outside the country, and warned her return might create further confusion and incite hatred among the people.
¶ Hasina, who held the office in 1996-2001, was charged with murder on April 11 while she was in the United States on a visit.
¶ The case involves the deaths of four protesters in a riot in October at one of a series of demonstations by her supporters accusing Zia's government of stacking the committee that was supposed to oversee January elections and rigging voter rolls.
¶ Over 30 people died in the protests that eventually led to the cancelation of the polls and the takeover by the the current military-backed government under emergency powers.
¶ Hasina was expected to board a flight from London to Bangladesh later Sunday.
¶ Metropolitan magistrate Meer Ali Reza issued the arrest warrant for Hasina on Sunday, her counsel Kamrul Islam told reporters. But he didn't make any further comment.
¶ The United News of Bangladesh agency reported that Hasina is now listed as a fugitive.
¶ Local media reported last week that she would be refused entry to the country, and that authorities have told airlines not to allow her to board any incoming flights.