Sheikh Hasina

Infobox Prime Minister
name = Sheikh Hasina


imagesize = 150px
birth_date = birth date and age|1947|09|28
birth_place = Gopalganj, Bangladesh,
office = 10th Prime Minister of Bangladesh
term_start = 23 June 1996
term_end = 15 July 2001
president = Shahabuddin Ahmed
predecessor = Habibur Rahman (Interim)
successor = Latifur Rahman (Interim)
party = Bangladesh Awami League
religion = Islam

Sheikh Hasina Wazed ( _bn. শেখ হাসিনা ওয়াজেদ "Shekh Hasina Oajed") (born September 28, 1947) was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2001. She has been the President of the Awami League, a major political party in Bangladesh, since 1981. She is the eldest of five children of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the secular leader and founding president of Bangladesh. She was the second female prime minister of Bangladesh.

Early life

Sheikh Hasina's political career started as a student activist in Eden College in the 1960s. While at Government Intermediate College, she was elected vice president of the College Students Union for the term 1966-67. Her opponent was the leftist student leader Motiya Chowdhury, who much later joined Awami League and became a member of Hasina's cabinet.

However, she was mostly under the shadow of her father until her family was killed in a coup d'état on August 15, 1975. She and her sister Sheikh Rehana, who were in West Germany at the time, were the only surviving members of the family. She later moved to the United Kingdom, and then was in self-exile in New Delhi, India before returning to Bangladesh, and Bangladeshi politics, on 17 May 1981.

In Dhaka University, Sheikh Hasina was a member of the "Chhatra League" (the student wing of Awami League) and secretary of the Rokeya Hall unit. During the liberation war in 1971, Hasina, then a young mother, was in house arrest with her mother, brothers, sister and her son. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was imprisoned in West Pakistan during this period. After liberation, Hasina's involvement in politics was minimal as Sheikh Kamal, her brother, was touted as Mujib's successor.

Member of the National Assembly

Her political and personal destiny was irrevocably altered on the fateful night of August 15, 1975, when her father and almost her entire family including her mother and three brothers were assassinated in a coup d'etat by a section of disgruntled officers of the Bangladesh Army, some of whom were freedom fighters during 1971.List of Bir Uttam awardees, Gazette Notification of the Ministry of Defence, Govt. of Bangladesh, No. 8/25/D-1/72-1378 December 15, 1973.] Sheikh Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana were on a goodwill tour of West Germany at that time. Hasina then sought refuge in United Kingdom and later, in India. She was exiled to New Delhi, India until May 17, 1981 when she was allowed to return to Bangladesh.

Movement against autocracy

While living in self-exile in India, Sheikh Hasina was elected the president of Bangladesh Awami League in 1981. After she returned to the country, the erstwhile president Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in yet another coup in May, 1981. The following year, General Hossain Mohammad Ershad captured power through a bloodless coup and declared Martial law. In 1983, Hasina formed the 15-party alliance to launch a movement to oust him from power. She was in and out of prison throughout the 80's. Her party along with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Zia's widow Khaleda Zia, were instrumental in the movement against the military rule. In 1984, Hasina was put under house arrest in February and then again in November. In March 1985, she was put under house arrest for three months at a stretch.

In 1990, Hasina's 8 party alliance was instrumental along with another BNP-led alliance in finally overthrowing the Ershad regime.

Interestingly, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, Awami League formed an alliance with Hossain Mohammad Ershad's Jayiya Party in 2006.

Leader of Opposition

Sheikh Hasina and her party Awami League participated in the 1986 Parliamentary election held under President Lieutenant General Hossain Mohammad Ershad. She served as the leader of opposition between 1986-1987. Hasina's decision to partake in the election has been criticized by her opponents, since the election was held under dictatorial rule. Her supporters maintain that she effectively used the platform to challenge Ershad's rule. The parliament was dissolved in December, 1987.

The first democratic elections were held in 1991 after long dictatorial rule. A caretaker government, headed by Shahabuddin Ahmed, the outgoing chief justice, oversaw the elections. Bangladesh Nationalist Party won the election, and Hasina's Awami League emerged as the largest opposition party. Hasina was defeated in the Dhaka constituency that she contested by Sadeque Hossain Khoka, a future Mayor of Dhaka, but was elected to the Parliament from her home constituency in Gopalganj. Hasina accused BNP of "nuanced rigging" in elections. Hasina nevertheless offered to resign as the party president but later stayed on at the request of party leaders. Khaleda Zia of BNP took office as the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Politics in Bangladesh took a decisive turn in 1994, after Magura by-elections. This election was held after the MP of that constituency, a member of Hasina's party, died. Awami League was expected to win it back, but the seat was won by BNP. The opposition parties accused BNP of widespread rigging and the election commission of incompetence. The Awami League, with other opposition parties, demanded that the next election be held under a caretaker government, and that the notion of a caretaker government be incorporated in the constitution. The ruling party of Khaleda Zia, Hasina's arch rival, denied to give in to these demands.

Opposition parties launched an unprecedented campaign, calling strikes for weeks on end. The government accused them of destroying the economy while the opposition retaliated that BNP could solve this problem by acceding to their demands. In late 1995, the MPs of Awami League and other parties lost their seats due to prolonged absence in the parliament. The government declared elections on February 15, 1996, an election that was boycotted by all major parties but the ruling BNP. Hasina claimed that the election was a farce. The elected parliament, almost totally comprised of BNP members, finally amended the constitution to create provisions for a caretaker government. The next parliamentary election was held under a caretaker government headed by Justice Habibur Rahman on June 30, 1996.

Prime Minister

Awami League won 146 seats in the . The support of the Jatiya Party and a few independent candidates were enough for the 150+ seats needed for the required majority. Hasina took the oath as the Prime minister of Bangladesh. She vowed to create a "Government of National Unity". Though some smaller parties and a few individuals from BNP did join the government, the distance between the main two political parties (as well as their leaders) remained as large as ever. Hasina did manage to convince Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, who led the first caretaker government, to assume the post of President. This selection of a bias person as president was praised by her supporters as a proof of Hasina's good will to reach out to the opposition.

A major achievement of the new government was to strike a treaty between India and Bangladesh concerning the Farakka Barrage, a bone of contention between the two countries ever since it was built in the 1960s. According to the treaty, Bangladesh was to receive 33 thousand cubic feet per second (930 m³/s) of water. Hasina next went on to create a Peace Treaty with the tribal rebels in the mountainous southeast of the country, thus seemingly solving a problem as old as Bangladesh itself. Though rebel activities have reduced greatly after the treaty, the region remains a hotbed for tension.

On the down side, Awami League was criticized for harbouring gangsters turned politicians, most notably Jainal Hazari of Feni. Her government was also criticized for overusing Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the media and naming many major institutions and constructions by his name. Awami League maintained that previous governments have tried to systematically eradicate Sheikh Mujib's legacy from the country and that the honor he was getting was long overdue. BNP also accused Awami League of politicizing the administration and state-owned media. Her party was also accused of being lenient towards India, especially after a shoot-out between border forces of India and Bangladesh left 16 Indian and 3 Bangladeshi border guards dead.

During the last year of her rule, Transparency International declared Bangladesh to be the most corrupt country in the world. Though Bangladesh had almost always been in the bottom five, the last position created an uproar and was seen by many as a major failure by Hasina. Though Hasina has been voted out of office since, Bangladesh has remained at the last position. The opposition demanded that Hasina resign and declare early elections, but Hasina refused to do so. She became the first democratically elected prime minister to complete her term.

Justice Latifur Rahman became the head of the caretaker government. Awami League alleged that he was biased towards BNP after he transferred a large number of civil servants immediately after taking office. Later, Hasina would also accuse President Shahabuddin Ahmed and election official Abu Sayeed of biased actions.

Landslide defeat

The Awami League succumbed to a landslide defeat in the 2001 Parliament elections. It won only 62 seats in the Parliament, while the Four Party Alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party won more than 200 seats, giving them a two-third majority in the Parliament. Hasina herself was defeated from a constituency in Rangpur, which happened to contain her husband's hometown, but won from two other seats. Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League rejected the results, claiming that the election was rigged with the help of the President and the Caretaker government. However, the international community was largely satisfied with the elections and the Four Party Alliance went on to form the government.

The Awami League has been irregular in the Parliament ever since. Hasina maintains that the ruling party doesn't give the opposition enough time on the floor. In late 2003, the Awami League started its first major anti-government movement, culminating in the declaration by party general secretary Abdul Jalil that the government would fall before April 30, 2004. This failed to happen and was seen as a blow to the party and Hasina herself, who had implicitly supported Jalil.

In her second term in opposition, Hasina has been faced with assassination attempts against herself and killings of important party personnel. Ahsanullah Master, an MP, was killed in 2004. This was followed by a grenade attack on Hasina in Dhaka, resulting in the death of 21 party supporters, including party women's secretary Ivy Rahman. Finally, her ex finance minister Shah A.M.S. Kibria was killed in a grenade attack in Sylhet.

In June 2005, the Awami League got a boost, when AL nominated incumbent mayor A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury won the important mayoral election in Chittagong, the port city and second largest city in Bangladesh. This election was seen as a showdown between the opposition and the ruling party.

The planned January 22, 2007 elections were marred by controversy. The Awami League and its allies protested, saying that the elections would not be fair because of alleged bias by the caretaker government in favor of Zia and the BNP. Hasina demanded that the head of the caretaker government, President Iajuddin Ahmed, step down from that position, and on January 3, 2007, she announced that the Awami League and its allies would boycott the elections. [Haroon Habib, [http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/04/stories/2007010405671400.htm "Polls won't be fair: Hasina"] , "The Hindu", January 4, 2007.] Later in the month a state of emergency was imposed, Ahmed stepped down, and the elections were postponed.

Extortion allegations and criminal charges

On April 9, 2007, it was announced that Bangladesh police were investigating extortion charges against Hasina. She is accused of forcing Bangladeshi businessman Tajul Islam Farooq to pay extortion money before his company could build a power plant in 1998. Farooq said that he paid Hasina 30 million takas (US$441,000, or €383,211) to get his project approved by the government, according to a police official. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/09/asia/AS-GEN-Bangladesh-Extortion-Charge.php "Bangladesh police to investigate graft allegation against former PM Hasina"] , Associated Press ("International Herald Tribune"), April 9, 2007.]

On April 11, murder charges were filed against her by the police, alleging that she masterminded the killing of four supporters of a rival political party in October 2006. The four alleged victims were beaten to death during clashes between the Awami League and rival party activists. Deputy police commissioner, Shahidul Haq Bhuiyan said "detective branch police submitted the charge-sheet of the case to a Dhaka court today after carrying out investigations and taking evidence." [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/DB39D98D-9402-49BB-98B8-0F7054E8A941.htm "Hasina charged in murder case"] , Al Jazeera, April 11, 2007.] She was visiting the United States at the time. [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSSP23714720070412?feedType=RSS "B'desh's Hasina to stay abroad pending murder charge"] , Reuters, April 12, 2007.]

The interim administration subsequently took steps to prevent Hasina's return to Bangladesh, with "The New Nation" newspaper reporting on April 17 that airlines had been asked not to allow her to return to Dhaka. She had been planning to return on April 23. [ [http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_35401.shtml "Airlines may not carry Hasina to Dhaka"] , "The New Nation", April 17, 2007.] On April 18, the government barred Hasina from her planned return, saying that she had made provocative statements and that her return could cause disorder. This was described as a temporary measure. [ [http://english.people.com.cn/200704/18/eng20070418_367640.html "Bangladeshi gov't bans former PM's return home from USA"] , Xinhua ("People's Daily Online"), April 18, 2007.] Hasina vowed to return home anyway, and on April 22, a warrant was issued by a Bangladeshi court for her arrest. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6580831.stm "Bangladesh issues ex-PM warrant"] , BBC News, April 22, 2007.] [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/22/asia/AS-GEN-Bangladesh-Leaders-Return.php "Murder warrant issued against Bangladesh ex-leader Hasina as she prepares to return home"] , Associated Press ("International Herald Tribune"), April 22, 2007.] On the same day, Hasina attempted to board a flight back to Bangladesh in London but was not allowed on the flight. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/22/europe/EU-GEN-Britain-Bangladesh-Leader-Barred.php "Bangladesh's ex-leader Sheikh Hasina barred from boarding plane home"] , Associated Press ("International Herald Tribune"), April 22, 2007.] Labelling the case against her as "totally false and fake", Hasina said that she wanted to defend herself against the charges in court. On April 23, the arrest warrant was suspended, [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/806F70E9-02FF-4478-AA91-EBFBA908A333.htm "Hasina: I will fight charges"] , Al Jazeera, April 23, 2007.] and on April 25 the ban on Hasina's entry into the country was dropped. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6594607.stm "Opposition welcomes B'desh U-turn"] , BBC News, April 26, 2007.]

With her rival Khaleda Zia being pressured to go into exile at the same time, the government's actions against Hasina appeared to be an attempt to restructure the political system rather than an attempt to support her rival.

After spending 51 days in the US and UK, at 4:45pm on 7 May 2007 Sheikh Hasina arrived at Zia International Airport in Dhaka, where she was greeted by a jubilant crowd of several thousand. At the airport Hasina told reporters that it was a mistake for the government to stop her from returning and that she hoped it would not "make a bigger mistake", while acknowledging that its reversal was a positive gesture. [Haroon Habib, [http://www.hindu.com/2007/05/08/stories/2007050811720100.htm "Sheikh Hasina returns home"] , "The Hindu", May 7, 2007.]

July 2007 arrest

On July 16, 2007 Hasina was arrested by state police at her home and taken before a local court in Dhaka. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/16/1979580.htm?section=justin "Former Bangladeshi PM arrested: Reports"] , Reuters (Australian Broadcasting Corporation News Online), July 16, 2007, accessed 16 July 2007.] She was accused of extortion and was denied bail on the same day as her arrest, and she was held in a building that was turned into a jail on the premises of the National Parliament. According to the Awami League, the arrest was politically motivated. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/17/asia/AS-GEN-Bangladesh-Hasina-Detained.php "Security stepped up after arrest of ex-Bangladesh prime minister on extortion charges"] , Associated Press ("International Herald Tribune"), July 17, 2007.]

On July 17, the Anti-Corruption Commission sent a notice to Hasina, along with Zia, requesting that details of her assets be submitted to the Commission within one week. [ [http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/07/18/d7071801011.htm "Hasina, Khaleda given 7 days for wealth report"] , "The Daily Star", July 18, 2007, Vol. 5 Num 1113.]

Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy stated that the Caretaker Government were going beyond their limits but that he did not plan to return to Bangladesh immediately but will try to organize a protest worldwide. The arrest was widely seen as move by the military-backed interim government to force Sheikh Hasina to leave Bangladesh into political exile. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6544835.stm BBC Report] ] Earlier attempts were made to bar her from coming back to Bangladesh. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/22/europe/EU-GEN-Britain-Bangladesh-Leader-Barred.php Bangladesh's ex-leader Sheikh Hasina barred from boarding plane home] ] UK MP have condemned the arrest. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6911237.stm "UK MPs denounce Bangladesh arrest"] , BBC News, July 23, 2007.]

On July 30, the Dhaka High Court suspended the extortion trial of her and ordered her release on bail. ["Bangladesh high court orders release of Hasina on bail", Asian News International, July 30, 2007.] On September 2, an additional case was filed against Hasina by the Anti-Corruption Commission regarding the awarding of a contract for the construction of a power plant in 1997, for which she allegedly took a bribe of 30 million takas and kept the contract from going to the lowest bidder; six others were also accused of involvement. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/02/asia/AS-GEN-Bangladesh-Ex-Prime-Minister.php "Ex-PM sued on corruption charges in Bangladesh"] , Associated Press ("International Herald Tribune"), September 2, 2007.] [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Rest_of_World/Detained_ex-PM_of_Bangladesh_faces_new_graft_charges/articleshow/2332080.cms "Detained ex-PM of Bangladesh faces new graft charges"] , IST, PTI ("The Times of India"), September 3, 2007.] This coincided with a case filed against Zia on the same day.

On January 13, 2008, she was indicted by a special court along with two of her relatives, her sister Sheikh Rehana and her cousin Sheikh Selim, in her extortion case. [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Bangladesh_court_indicts_Hasina_two_others_in_extortion_case/articleshow/2696207.cms "Bangladesh court indicts Hasina, two others in extortion case"] , IST, PTI ("Times of India"), January 13, 2008.] On February 6, however, the High Court stopped the trial, ruling that she could not be prosecuted under emergency laws for alleged crimes committed prior to the imposition of the state of emergency. [ [http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200802061550.htm "Bangladesh court quashes Hasina's trial"] , Press Trust of India ("The Hindu"), February 6, 2008.]

On June 11, 2008 Hasina was released on parole for treatment of her ear in the USA. [ [http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-06-11-voa8.cfm "Bangladesh Caretaker Government Frees Former PM Hasina"] , Steve Herman (VoA), June 11, 2008.]

On June 12, 2008 Hasina left Bangladesh for USA to receive treatment for hearing impairment, eye and high blood pressure problems [ [http://www.gulfnews.com/World/Bangladesh/10220470.html "Sheikh Hasina goes to US for medical treatment"] ] . Prof. Syed Modasser Ali, her personal physician, recently threatened to sue the Bangladesh caretaker government over negligence regarding Hasina's treatment during her detention [cite web |title=bdnews24.com: Hasina wants to return end of Sept: doctor" |url=http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=59915&cid=3 |accessdate=2008-08-21] .

Books

* ওরা টোকাই কেন? "Ora ţokai kêno?" (Why are they street children?) 1987
* বাংলাদেশে স্বৈরতন্ত্রের জন্ম "Bangladeshe shoirotôntrer jônmo" (Birth of autocracy in Bangladesh), 1993
* দারিদ্র বিমোচন, কিছু ভাবনা "Daridro bimochon, kichhu bhabna" (Thoughts on eradication of poverty), 1993
* আমার স্বপ্ন, আমার সংগ্রাম "Amar shôpno, amar shônggram" (My dream, my struggle), 1996
* "People and democracy",1997
* আমরা জনগণের কথা বলতে এসেছি "Amra jônogoner kôtha bolte eshechhi" (We want to speak for the people), 1998
* বৃহৎ জনগোষ্ঠীর জন্য উন্নয়ন "Brihot jônogoshţhir jonno unnôeon" (Development for the large masses), 1999
* "Development of the masses", 1999
* সামরিক তন্ত্র বনাম গণতন্ত্র "Shamorik tôntro bônam gônotôntro" (Military rule versus democracy), 1999
* আন্তর্জাতিক সম্পর্ক উন্নয়ন "Antorjatik shômporko unnôeon" (Improvement of international relations), 2001
* বিপন্ন গণতন্ত্র, লাঞ্ছিত মানবতা "Bipônno gônotôntro, lanchhito manobota" (see following entry for English name), 2002
* "Democracy in distress, demeaned humanity", 2003
* "Sohena manobotar abomanona" (Against degradation of humanity), 21 february 2003
* "Living with tears", 2004

ee also

*Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
*Bangladesh Awami League
*Minus 2 Formula

References

External links

* [http://www.albd.org/ Awami League Official Website]
* [http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/H_0081.htm Banglapedia article on Sheikh Hasina]
* [http://www.shmpi.org/about-sheikh-hasina.html Sheikh Hasina Mukti Porishod Italy]
* [http://www.shmpi.org/ Sheikh Hasina release on two month parole ]