Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Bangladesh’s interim government, which is backed by the military, continues its slow house-cleaning against the country’s old political leadership. Today it arrested former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on corruption charges. Her rival Sheikh Hasina, also a former prime minister, is expected to be charged soon with a similar first offence. However, analysts warn that those circles and sectors of the country close to the former heads of government are likely to strike back. In the meantime popular dissatisfaction is growing.
Ms Khaleda, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and a former prime minister, was arrested this morning and placed in detention. She is accused of corruption, extortion and tax evasion. Her youngest son Arafat Rahman Coco was also held on corruption charges.
Yesterday the government’s anti-corruption commission formulated a first official charge against another former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, who heads the opposition Awami League (AL). She is accused of accepting illegal payments from a private power company for a total amount of US$ 215,000 whilst she was in power between 1996 and 2001.
Rulers uncertain
Since it was set up last January the ruling interim government has arrested about 150 political leaders as part of its anti-corruption drive and its attempt to renew the political class.
The interim government’s attempt to rid the country of its two women leaders has however been haphazard. It initially tried to prevent Hasina from coming home whilst trying to push Zia to leave. Hasina instead managed to come back and Zia did not leave. Then the government prevented Hasina from going to the United States and imposed tight restrictions on her and Zia. In the end they arrested Hasina, and placed Zia first under semi-house arrest, then today in prison.
At the same time, the generals who are working behind the scenes have tried to weaken the two major parties in order to promote a third one, which they want to be free from corruption. However, so far all they have achieved is increase the uncertainty surrounding the future of both the BNP and the AL.
“Evil forces” behind the students
The leaders in prison for corruption are not isolated. According to local observers, the circles and sectors of society that identify with them are just waiting for the right time to strike back.
Already unrest is increasing like the street demonstrations that disrupted life in various Bangladeshi cities on August 20 and 22, which the government blamed on “evil forces”.
In Dhaka however a businessman told AsiaNews that in “a few months those now in power will be in prison.”
There are many supporters of both Hasina and Zia who will not accept their arrest on corruption charges, including some that date back several years.
In fact popular unrest is getting worse as demands for free and fair elections get louder. This is made worse by inflation which is biting into people’s pockets and by the authorities’ actions against illegal housing.
