Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

Bangladesh students demand release of ex-PM Hasina
12 Feb 2008 12:14:48 GMT
 Source: Reuters
DHAKA, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Some 300 students of Bangladesh's biggest university staged a protest march on Tuesday to demand the release of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, days after a court ruled her trial over charges of extortion was unlawful.

Hasina, leader of the Awami League, has been under detention since July and last month a court began her trial on charges of extorting $440,000 from a businessman while she was in power between 1996-2000.

But the Bangladesh High Court last week accepted an appeal by Hasina challenging the legality of the trial under emergency rules, forcing the prosecution to seek the intervention of the Supreme Court.

Dhaka University students, most of them from Bangladesh Chhatra League a wing of the Awami League, wore black bands and carried placards saying her continued detention was illegal.

"We will try to continue such peaceful protests until the former prime minister is released," Humayun Kabir, a student activist said.

Bangladesh has been under a state of emergency since January last year, when the interim government headed by former central bank chief Fakhruddin Ahmed took power after weeks of political violence.

Ahmed banned political activity and launched a drive against corruption, saying elections will be held once guilty politicians and officials have been brought to justice.

One expert said the latest campus protest could spread to other universities, putting the government in a difficult position.

"It will be a great risk for the government to suppress the student protest in the campus, lest it turn violent and spread else where," said Abul Momen, columnist and political analyst.

More than 170 people have been detained, including Hasina and her rival Begum Khaleda Zia in the campaign against corruption.

(Reporting by Nizam Ahmed; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)


AlertNet news is provided by
Email this article       Send comments

NGO latest

•  IMPACT 2010: new strategy to take community action to scale
International HIV/AIDS Alliance - UK

•  A helping hand to the fishermen families affected by the Cyclone Sidr - IBC in Bangladesh
IBC- Turkey

•  A helping hand to the fisermen families affected by the Cyclone Sidr - IBC in Bangladesh
IBC- Turkey

•  NRC Launches Asian emergency roster
NRC - Norway

•  Survivors of Bangladesh Cyclone Sidr Receive Continued Assistance from ADRA
ADRA - International

MORE >>

Latest news

•  Bangladesh students demand release of ex-PM Hasina

•  Bird flu spreads to another Bangladesh district

•  Wild elephants stray into B'desh village, kill man

•  Q&A: Brazilian bows out citing Mexico accord results as a highlight

•  UN officials prefer Ethiopia to Bangladesh copters

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Related articles

Breaking stories
Bangladesh students demand release of ex-PM Hasina (1 minute ago)

Bird flu spreads to another Bangladesh district (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
Climate change and conflicts: Is there a link at all? (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed
IMPACT 2010: new strategy to take community action to scale (1 minute ago)

Blogs
Seven security barriers you might want to know about (1 minute ago)

Maps
MAP: Bangladesh: Districts affected by floods and cyclone Sidr (1 minute ago)


Country information

Facts & figures
Bangladesh

Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-17T133915Z_01_DHA07D_RTRIDSP_2_BANGLADESH-TURTLES_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA07D.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-17T121030Z_01_DHA05D_RTRIDSP_2_BANGLADESH-ACCIDENT_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA05D.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-17T120702Z_01_DHA04D_RTRIDSP_2_BANGLADESH-ACCIDENT_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA04D.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-17T115955Z_01_DHA02D_RTRIDSP_2_BANGLADESH-ACCIDENT_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA02D.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-17T115606Z_01_DHA03D_RTRIDSP_2_BANGLADESH-ACCIDENT_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA03D.htm

A dead turtle lies on the shore at the Bay of Bengal at Cox's Bazar, January 17, 2008. Bangladesh found at least 40 dead turtles on the beach of the Bay ...


More pictures | Galleries
Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Tue Feb 12 12:13:48 2008