Court ruling stirs unease ahead of Bangladesh polls
15 Dec 2006 12:13:45 GMT Source: Reuters
(Adds more violence, quotes) DHAKA, Dec 15 (Reuters) - A court ruling against Bangladesh's former army ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad in a long-running corruption case has added to the uncertainty sweeping the country ahead of parliamentary elections next month. The Bangladesh High Court confirmed on Thursday a two-year jail sentence for Ershad after a lower court convicted him of squandering state funds in a deal to buy patrol boats from Japan when he was in power from 1982 to 1990. Ershad, who leads the small Jatiya party, cannot contest the election set for January 23 unless his conviction is overturned by the Supreme Court. The verdict triggered accusations of political interference by the head of a multi-party alliance Ershad had planned to join to contest the elections. "He is being fixed for not pledging loyalty to Khaleda and the court verdict was remote-controlled," said the head of the alliance, Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, referring to her arch-foe Begum Khaleda Zia. Hasina has been campaigning for the removal of election officials it accuses of bias towards the Khaleda's Bangladesh National Party. Hasina has also demanded President Iajuddin Ahmed step aside as head of an interim administration for failing to show neutrality. Khaleda stepped down as prime minister in October, handing over to the president whose role is to prepare the nation for elections. There was no immediate comment from Ershad on the verdict. Ershad supporters attacked vehicles during a protest in the capital Dhaka on Friday, smashing the windows of about 15 vehicles, a Reuters cameraman said. At least 20 people were injured when police used clubs to disperse thousand of protesters, chanting "long live Ershad" and "down with conspirators". "People will overpower enemies of democracy by forging a bigger unity among patriotic parties ahead of the election," said Ruhul Amin Hawladar, secretary-general of Jatiya Party. Khaleda and Hasina had joined forces in late 1990 to topple Ershad from power. They fell out soon after and have since remained bitter foes. Khaleda accuses her rival of trying to subvert democracy and has urged the caretaker administration to press on with the elections. Leaders of Hasina's Awami League on Friday demanded the election be delayed to allow more time for campaigning. "If he does not implement our demands and announce a new schedule for the polls, we will come to the streets to force him to do so," said senior Awami leader Obaidul Kader, referring to the president. "We will then add more vigour to the current protests to force him to quit," he told a party meeting. At least 44 people have been killed and hundreds injured in clashes between the rival parties in the past six weeks. (Additional reporting by Nizam Ahmed)
