Bangladesh's elusive politics under the state of emergency has now poised to take a positive turn following the release of the country's two former prime ministers, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, ahead of general elections in December.
Khaleda, who ruled the country from 1991 to 1996 and 2001 to 2006, was released on bail Thursday while Sheikh Hasina was paroled in June on health grounds. Hasina, in power from 1996 to 2001, is now in the United States for treatment of her damaged ears and eyes.
Both Khaleda and Hasina along with top leaders of their parties were arrested on corruption charges after the takeover of the current caretaker government in January last year that had cracked down on alleged corrupt politicians.
Khaleda-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Hasina's Awami League, the country's two major parties, termed the cases against their leaders politically motivated.
And they warned of boycotting the general elections and the pre-election dialogue with the government if their leaders are not freed.
Immediately after her release on Thursday, Khaleda said BNP will go to dialogue and polls both in right environment while the Hasina-led Awami League also took part in the dialogue earlier.
Meanwhile, Khaleda also said her eldest son and an influential leader of her party Tarique Rahman, who is suffering from spinal cord complications, will remain out of politics before recovery, which may take two or three years.
Tarique, considered a political heir after her mother, was also arrested amid the purge against crime and corruption by the caretaker government. He secured bails in 13 corruption cases on health ground and went to London on Thursday night for medical treatment.
Political observers here said release of both the former prime ministers four months ahead of the general elections scheduled for December this year is a positive development in Bangladesh's unpredictable politics.
They said release of Khaleda and Hasina, two powerful politicians of Bangladesh, would help resolve election issues through dialogue with the caretaker government and pave way for free and fair general elections.
Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed of the caretaker government Thursday told Xinhua in an exclusive interview that the government is providing all facilities to hold a free, fair and credible election.
There is no doubt that the stalled general election will be held on schedule, he said.
The 9th parliamentary elections originally scheduled on Jan. 22,2007, was postponed following violent disputes among major parties over the planned rigging in the polls.
To quell political turmoil over the abortive elections, Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed declared the state of emergency on Jan. 11, 2007.
The current caretaker government headed by Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed assumed office on Jan. 12 last year.
Source: Xinhua
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