Khaleda Zia's Comment

8/3/2019 Khaleda Zia's Comment

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Khaleda Zias statement on Sheikh Hasina

Posted by Rumi underBangladesh,Democracy,Politics[22] Comments

The Daily Star Reports,

Setting a rare example, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday demanded immediate release ofher arch political rival Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina, and regretted failure of the

administration to protect her [Hasina] dignity while being taken to court.

I am deeply disheartened to see that being a former prime minister, chief of a political party,daughter of a national leader, an aged woman as well as a distinguished citizen of the country,

she [Hasina] faced a disgraceful and indecent situation on the court premises, Khaleda said in a

statement, signed by Maruf Kamal Khan, deputy press secretary to the former prime minister.

BNP leaders however said they are not aware of any such statement.

It [indecent situation] hurt all conscious people and destroyed the image of the government both

at home and abroad, Khaleda said. The situation could have been avoided if the governmentwould have dealt with the matter carefully and consciously, she added.

The BNP chairperson said, I think it would be better if her [AL chief] trial is held withoutarresting and sending her to jail or opposing her bail prayer.

Calling for immediate release of Sheikh Hasina, Khaleda stressed conducting the case keepingher free. It would decrease the possibility of social and political instability and confusion.

The people do not want to see chaos and disorder again which led to promulgation of

unexpected state of emergency. Extension of emergency would not however bring any good to

the county, she said.

We have to move forward toward our desired democracy. Ensuring stability and establishing

national consensus are necessary for this, Khaleda said. Everybody should be more foresightedand should exercise wisdom as the opportunity is now created.

Mentioning that none is above the law, she said nobody is also above error. And those who

discharge major responsibilities of a country beset with problems have the more chances of

committing errors.

Successes of politicians should not be underestimated because of their failures, the former

premier observed.

I was hurt by the illogical, non-political and indecent speeches of Sheikh Hasina against me and

my family many times, and I am also hurt in the same way to see her facing unexpected

behaviour, Khaleda said.
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Accused persons may or may not be guilty. So, it is the duty of the government and

administration to protect their honour and dignity, she said. Every accused should get justice,and his/her right to defend, legal assistance and human rights should be ensured.

[ Thanks Asif for Links to this AP and AFP photos]

I am amazed at this statement. Not only because it is an unimaginable U turn in the attitude of

one feuding leader towards the other but also at the strength and quality of the statement.

It is, in my opinion, one of the best political statements in Bangladesh politics I have come

across so far.

This exceedingly well crafted piece articulates its message very clearly. This piece captured anissue which was unfirtunately missed and overlooked by everybody else, even her own party

colleagues. Khaleda Zia was apparently the first one to bring up the issue of the treatment

extended to Sheikh Hasina at court house.
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Another reason this statement carries weight is that it signals that Khaleda Zia probably is not all

by herself in her struggle with the Mannan Bhuiyan gong. This statements clearly indicates thatKhaleda is being advised by someone very prudent and capable in writing and promoting certain

political points.

I hope she continues to get the support and good advise.

Source : http://rumiahmed.wordpress.com/2007/07/18/khaleda-zias-statement-on-sheikh-hasina/

Khaleda sends Hasina Eid card

Thu, Aug 25th, 2011 3:28 pm BdST Dial 2000 from your GP mobile for latest news

Dhaka, Aug 25 (bdnews24.com)BNP

chairperson Khaleda Zia has sent an Eid card to

prime minister Sheikh Hasina, wishing her ahappy Eid-ul-Fitr.

The opposition leader's personal secretary A S M

Saleh Ahmed carried the card to the prime

minister's office around 1:30pm on Thursday.

The card was handed to Nazrul Islam Khan,personal secretary to the prime minister, Saleh

told bdnews24.com.

Though the two top leaders of the country have not exchanged greetings face to face for a longtime, they exchange Eid cards regularly.

Neither Hasina nor Khaleda attended Iftar parties this Ramadan though they invited each other.

The last time the two top leaders were seen together was on Sept 10, 2009 at an Iftar partyorganised by the Armed Forces Division.

Khaleda is now in Saudi Arabia to perform her Umrah. She is likely to return on Aug 30.

bdnews24.com/sm/ost/tk/1519h


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http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=204316&cid=3

2 Leaders in Exile

Khaleda reacted sharply, Hasina took it lightlyStaff Correspondent

In early January 2007, Khaleda Zia sharply reacted to the claims that some within the two major

political parties approached to US and UK diplomats to advocate military intervention and

forcing BNP chief and her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina into exile.

On the other hand, Awami League President Hasina largely dismissed the reports and even joked

that exile in the United States would allow her to see her granddaughter.

According to two leaked cables posted on the whistleblower site WikiLeaks on August 30 this

year, the then US ambassador in Dhaka Patricia A Butenis and British high commissioner Anwar

Chowdhury called on Hasina on January 6, 2007 and Khaleda the next day.

In the meetings, the envoys apprised the leaders of a possible martial law or a coup, the cablessay. They also said a political compromise was possible that would spare the country from

violence and end rumours and speculation about military intervention.

The beginning of 2007 saw political turmoil sweep across the country following the then

opposition Awami League's boycotting of January 22 elections under the caretaker government

headed by Iajuddin Ahmed. Supporters of two alliances led by AL and BNP were locked in aseries of clashes. Emergency was declared on January 11.

The ambassador and the high commissioner stressed they had consistently opposed anyunconstitutional role for the military but felt obligated to bring these reports to Hasina's attention,

one of the cables say.

Hasina, now the prime minister, then expressed little concern over her personal security. She said

she was not troubled by military involvement, either directly or under a state of emergency. If the

military can intervene and "make things okay," that would be good.


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The ambassador queried Hasina why she thought the military would be willing to return power

to the very politicians who created the need for military intervention in the first place.

The AL chief said she did envision marshal law; opining that no officer was strong enough to

lead a coup. Moreover, she was confident the people would not allow the military to retain power

longer then necessary to resolve the political crisis.

"There would be violence, bloodshed, the country could collapse," if the military refused to step

down, she said.

Hasina, however, said she would sooner support a solution involving the military than one that

returned the BNP to power.

Khaleda, acknowledging some dissent within her party, bristled at suggestions the military would

take action against her or act extra-constitutionally.

She accused the US, UK and civil society of encouraging such speculation, an allegation whichboth the ambassador and the British high commissioner categorically denied.

Now leader of the opposition, Khaleda then at the meet rejected discussions with Hasina before

elections. Instead, she reiterated the BNP position that elections must go forward but offered to

hold new elections within 12-15 months once returned to office.

Once elected, BNP would also implement election reforms, including AL demands for voter IDcards. She acknowledged many would not recognise the January 22 elections as credible, butsaid the government would be legitimate under the constitution.

Khaleda Zia also said she always wanted AL to participate in the elections, but it was then toolate.

At the request of the diplomats, Khaleda excused from the meeting her usual advisers (former

foreign minister Morshed Khan, former political adviser Reaz Rahman and BNP general

secretary Mannan Bhuiyan). They later returned for the discussion on election issues.

Sheikh Hasina during her talks with the envoys argued that the current political impasse was the

direct result of an orchestrated BNP plan, implemented with the collusion of the chief adviser, to

create conditions to force AL and its partners in the "Grand Alliance" to boycott the election.

BNP does not want us to participate because we will win," Hasina declared with confidence.

She complained that the president/chief adviser, Iajuddin Ahmed, does not listen to his advisers

or the international community, but simply follows BNP instructions.

The president, she said, just wanted to hold elections and hand over power to Khaleda, leaving

Awami League and its alliance partners with no alternative but to boycott a "rigged" election.


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Asked how she would respond if the BNP chairperson reached out to her to find a solution,

Hasina said she would reject any such overtures from Khaleda.

As the two envoys described a possible scenario suggested by some in the BNP under which

elections would be held with the understanding that new elections would be called within 12

months, Hasina dismissed the proposal out-of-hand.

Emphasising the need to take a hard line now, Hasina said her supporters already blame her for

initially accepting Iajuddin's decision to appoint himself the chief adviser.

Many argue that continuing the street violence that forced former chief justice Hasan to refuse

appointment as the chief adviser, would have been better than allowing Iajuddin to engineer a

biased election.

She denied that cancellation of Jatiya party leader Ershad's nominations caused her to boycott the

election. Jatiya party is now a component of ruling coalition led by her party.

When US ambassador Butenis raised the possibility of United Nations mediation, the AL

president showed some interest in UN-mediated election, but it was clear she envisioned anelection effectively run by the UN and not just UN mediation of the political issues separating

the two major political alliances.

The cable on the meeting with Hasina noted that the AL president wrote to the UN secretary

general in December asking for UN monitoring of the election.

On reconstitution of the caretaker government and the Election Commission, Hasina insisted

Iajuddin must relinquish his position as the chief adviser; the original ten advisers, however,

would be acceptable

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=201334

Hasina questions Khaleda's lavish lifestyle

Thu, Dec 9th, 2010 8:14 pm BdST Dial 2000 from your GP mobile for latest news


7/15

Dhaka, Dec 9 (bdnews24.com)--Prime minister

Sheikh Hasina has said her government will

examine the tax files of BNP chief Khaleda Zia tomatch her wealth statement submitted to the

Election Commission.

In her winding up speech at the parliament onThursday, the prime minister said opposition

Khaleda used to live a extravagant life in

Bangladesh and laundered money while in power.She, however, offered no proof in support of the

money laundering charge.

"The finance minister is here. I will ask him toexamine her tax file to see if that match the wealth

statement (of Khaleda) submitted during the

caretaker time."

Hasina gave a detailed account of the former

prime ministers personal belongings found at the

cantonment house.

She said Khaleda, after the assassination of Ziaur Rahman, gave a TV interview in which she

claimed her husband only left a torn T-shirt and she used to make pants for her children out ofZia's pants.

The prime minister said Khaleda's cantonment house had 45 rooms, 12 bathrooms and four

kitchens. It contained 64 air conditioners, 20 television sets (including LCD sets) 17 fridges andfreezers, 10 heaters, 71 sofa sets and 7,200 square feet of carpets.

She said the opposition leader took away the items from the house.

But there are other items left in the house, Hasina said. Those include: aluminum glass and

sliding doors, grill, commodes, basins, mirrors, wall racks, netted grills, door frames, showercases, water tanks and others.

"My question is: whether the items belonged to her? If yes, where did she get the money to buy

all these?"

"It is unfortunate for the people that she used to lead such a lavish life in the country and sent

money abroad," said Hasina.

"People want to know how she earned so much money," said the prime minister.

She said Khaleda pledged to return her cantonment home in return for the Gulshan house givento her.


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A joking Hasina said that former president Ershad was moved by Khaleda's dire economic

condition after her husband's death and gave her a huge house inside the Dhaka Cantonment.

bdnews24.com/krc/am/bd/2141h

http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=2&id=181184

Analysis: A tale of two women

A legacy of hatred: Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda ZiaBy BBC News Online's David Chazan

Bangladeshi politics revolves around a vitriolic personal feud between two women - the outgoing primeminister, Sheikh Hasina, and her rival, Khaleda Zia.

With the latest results showing a convincing victory for Mrs Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) overMrs Hasina's Awami League, the question is, will the loser accept defeat?

The election campaign was the most violent in Bangladesh's turbulent 30-year history, marked by a seriesof coups and counter-coups.


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At least 140 people died in the run-up to voting.

Mrs Hasina was the first prime minister to serve out her full term of office in acountry where political power has often been seized at gunpoint.

Mrs Hasina is reported to have said she will not accept the result of what she

called a "rigged" election.

Celebrations in the BNP camp were muted - seen as a sign that Mrs Ziawanted to avoid antagonising her rival.

Reconciliation

Instead, Mrs Zia called for political reconciliation and national unity, promisingto eradicate corruption and increase living standards in one of the world'spoorest countries.

The feud between the two rivals goes back at least a quarter of a century, stemming from Bangladesh'sbloodstained past.

Insiders say Mrs Hasina believes that Mrs Zia's husband was partly to blame for the assassination of MrsHasina's father, former President Mujibur Rahman.

Mrs Zia's husband, a former military dictator, was also assassinated.

The two women have often hurled bitter personal insults at each other.

Such is the level of hostility and acrimony between them that Mrs Zia was oncereported to have declared that she would celebrate her birthday on theanniversary of the assassination of Mrs Hasina's father, along with more than20 of his close relatives.

Inciting violence

Each accuses the other of inciting violence.

Rival party supporters have often fought pitched battles.

The caretaker government which supervised the election deployed more than 50,000 troops to keep thepeace.

But diplomats and some Bangladeshi commentators fear that hostility between the two sides could nowintensify and lead to more bloodshed.

There were clashes with Indiaearlier this year

If the loser doesn't

give in and concededefeat, you might see

further violence

Foreign diplomat


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"If the loser doesn't give in and concede defeat, you might see furtherviolence," said a foreign diplomat.

"Bangladesh is highly polarised between the two main parties. That could nowbe a very dangerous thing," said the diplomat, who requested anonymity.

Military dictators held power in Bangladesh for many years.

But diplomats said a military takeover was now unlikely.

"Even if violence were to reach such a point that the army felt that it had tostep in to restore order, you've got to remember that the military itself isdivided too," a diplomat said.

Issues obscured

The ideological differences between the parties are slight.

The Awami League is seen as more pro-Indian and left-leaning, while the BNP is viewed as more pro-Pakistani.

But the issues were largely obscured during the campaign, while the two leaders exchanged insults.

Mrs Zia said Sheikh Hasina had failed to enforce law and order.

Many commentators from different political camps say violent crime has increased in recent years.

Skirmishes

Mrs Zia also criticised Mrs Hasina for not standing up to India.

A series of skirmishes on Bangladesh's border with India earlier this year cost the lives of troops andcivilians from both countries.

Defending her record, Mrs Hasina said the Bangladeshi economy had grown by roughly 5% a year whileshe was in power.

She said that she had ended a tribal insurgency in the south-east, and resolved a dispute with India overthe sharing of water from the River Ganges.

Islamic tendency

Sheikh Hasina says Bangladesh risks losing its secular identity because the BNP is allied with twohardline Muslim parties.

In Dhaka, posters with quotations from Osama Bin Laden competed for wall space with pictures ofelection candidates.

The American military build-up has often swallowed more space on the front pages of Bangladeshinewspapers than the election campaign.

Many have died in politicalviolence


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Some commentators believe that the BNP and its allies benefited from fears of an impending Americanattack against Afghanistan.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1575704.stm

WIKILEAKS : DGFI, CIVILIAN, ADVISERS BATTLED

OVER HASINA, KHALEDA

byNews BDon Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 12:21pm

There was an ongoing battle of will between civilian advisers to the caretaker government of

200708 and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence over taking a stance on the fate offormer prime ministers, Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League and Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh

Nationalist Party. The then US ambassador in Dhaka, James F Moriarty, sent a diplomatic cable

to Washington on June 12 , 2008 , in which he made the observation, quoting an adviser to thecaretaker government of the time. Former commerce and education adviser Hossain Zillur

Rahman told Moriarty on June 10 that there was an ongoing battle of wills between an

intelligence agency and civilian advisers, who were insisting on engaging the two imprisoned

former prime ministers Hasina and Khaleda. Zillur also said the advisers, who were promoting a

compromise were engaged in an assertion battle with the Directorate General of ForcesIntelligence, had taken a harder line against accommodating the two ladies ( Khaleda and

Hasina) and their supporters. Soon after the caretaker government came to power on January 12

, 2007 , its military supporters tried to implement a minus two policy of permanentlyremoving Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda from Bangladeshi politics. Supporters of the plan blamed

the two women for the endemic corruption and political violence that marred their adminis-

trations, the cable read. Zillur, however, told Moriarty that the two women had demonstratedtheir staying power by retaining their party support while languishing in jail on graft charges.

Both the parties had refused to enter a formal dialogue with the caretaker government over the

future of Bangladeshs democracy until their release from prison. He said that there was nochoice but to engage Hasina and Khaleda, particularly as no new political leaders had emerged to

replace them atop their parties. Zillur said that the differing opinions should not be characterisedas a showdown; and the advisers had, instead, been able to make their case by bringing strongerarguments to bear on how to move forward. In a separate conversation, Hasan Mahmud, the

special personal aide to Hasina, also asserted that the advisers were the driving force in

negotiations with the Awami League over her release. In addition to [Zillur] Hossain,

communications adviser Ghulam Quader played a crucial role Quader, a retired major generalwith a background in intelligence, was well respected in the army and DGFI and therefore was

able to convince the military of pursuing engagement with the two ladies, Hasan Mahmud is
http://www.facebook.com/NewsBDhttp://www.facebook.com/NewsBDhttp://www.facebook.com/NewsBDhttp://www.facebook.com/NewsBD


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quoted as saying the cable. Zillur expressed guarded optimism that the political process would

move forward, saying all players now realised the importance of keeping negotiating channelsalive. He believed that the imprisonment of Hasina and Khaleda had had a shock effect onthem, creating a sense of vulnerability that could make them more amenable to compromise.

Zillur believed that progress would be laborious, no faster than one step at a time. Although

Hasan said that Hasina had agreed not to criticise the caretaker government once she was abroad,he added that the terms and timing of her return to Bangladesh had yet to be worked out.

Thornier still were negotiations over the fate of Khaleda, who had said publicly that she did not

want to leave Bangladesh. Both of her two imprisoned sons were ailing and there was persistentspeculation that they could be released for medical attention abroad if she would agree to

accompany them. Hossain said that the future of Khaledas eldest son, Tarique Rahman, was a

particularly sensitive issue. Tarique, then senior joint secretary-general of the BNP and viewedas heir apparent to his mother as party leader, was widely perceived to be spectacularly corrupt.

Zillur described as unacceptable any scenario under which Tarique returned to power. In a cable

sent by the then US ambassador Patricia A Butenis on January 31 , 2007 , the law, justice, and

parliamentary affairs adviser to the caretaker government Mainul Hossein said that the

government was thinking about long-term reforms for the good of the country. We are having ahard time among ourselves, he said, with differences between the military and the civilians

over the extent of press controls and whether bail should be granted to corruption suspects.

Mainul was exceptionally frank in acknowledging the militarys leading role in governmentaffairs but also exceptional in arguing that the military was anxious to return to the barracks,

according to the cable. Other advisers, including chief adviser [Fakhruddin] Ahmed studiously

avoid mentioning the m word (military) and stress the need for long-term reforms as a

precondition for meaningful elections. The extent of actual differences between the military and

the civilians is unclear but bears careful watching, the cable reads. Butenis in another cable sent

on January 29 , 2007 commented, The chief adviser was smooth and business-like in making the

governments case for far reaching reforms. During the 45 -minute meeting, there was not even

an indirect reference to the military role in his governments creation and operation.


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http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=214009851995842

WikiLeaks: Hasina tried to communicate with Khaleda Zia

Sat, 17/09/2011 - 2:11am | by priyodesk

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Prime Minister Sheih Hasina was focused on combatting terrorism and establishing regular

backchannel communication with her long-time rival , BNP chief Khaleda Zia. This was

disclosed by Prime Ministers adviser Gowher Rizvi during his conversation with former US

Ambasador James F Moriarty, revealed a Wikileaks cable sent on 28 May, 2009.

Gowher Rizvi. File Photo

Rizvi also told the Ambassador the Prime Minister was trying to open a backchannel line ofcommunication with her archrival and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Begum

Khaleda Zia. Rizvi floated the name of Moudud Ahmed, who served as Law Minister during the

2001-2006 BNP government, as a possible conduit to Begum Zia for the Awami League. Rizviadded that Ahmed is likely to succeed Khondaker Delwar Hossain as Begum Zia's deputy in the

BNP, the cable said.

According to that cable, one of the Prime Minister's main frustrations was the incompetence of

the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) bureacracy, Gowher Rizvi, a University of Virginia Vice

Provost, told the Ambassador during a May 26 meeting.Prime example of this was the failure of GOB officials to adequately respond following a

meeting between World Bank leaders and the Prime Minister shortly after she took office.

According to Rizvi, the PM and top World Bank officials agreed to collaborate on a

comprehensive program to develop a social safety net for Bangladesh's poor. The PM instructedher government to work with the World Bank on this initiative and was dismayed to discoverrecently that GOB inertia had stalled the project.

Rizvi said the Prime Minister had noted a marked decline in the quality of civil servants between

her 1996-2001 government and now. "It's not that (the bureaucrats) are unwilling or

unsupportive," Rizvi commented.

Rizvi said the Prime Minister continued to look for ways to tackle a key priority, strengthening

civil-military relations in Bangladesh. Early in her tenure as PM, Hasina talked aboutestablishing a civ-mil structure that might include a Joint Chiefs of Staff and/or a Defense

Minister/Advisor. The Bangladesh Rifles mutiny in February made this objective both more

difficult and more urgent, Rizvi observed the cable said.

During his May 26 meeting with the Ambassador, Rizvi said the GOB must move quickly to get

the new Indian governments attention on issues of interest to Bangladesh.


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The fact that Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee would no longer also hold the External Affairs

portfolio could mean Bangladesh would lose a staunch ally at the top levels of Indiasgovernment. According to Rizvi, Mukherjee as External Affairs Minister championed

Bangladeshs interests and his protege, Sheikh Hasina, in the face of Indian leaders less well-

disposed toward their neighbor. As Finance Minister, Mukherjee would not have the authority or

the time to routinely look out for Bangladesh.

In terms of Bangladesh building trust with India, Rizvi and the Ambassador discussed thepossibility of Bangladesh handing over United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) leader Anup

Chetia, long wanted by the Indian government for his connection to terrorist acts in northeastern

India. The Ambassador told Rizvi India was convinced that April bombings in Assam targetingPranab Mukherjee were orchestrated from Bangladesh (Ref B). Handing over Chetia would send

a strong signal of Bangladeshs commitment to cooperating with India to counter terrorism.

Rizvi said on May 28 that he had floated with the Prime Minister the idea of handing over Chetia

to India. Sheikh Hasina had seemed open to the possibility, but had confessed she did not knowwhere Chetia was.

The PM told Rizvi she would try to ascertain Chetias whereabouts.Rizvi noted that the PM seemed to be more dismayed than expected over the recent death of her

estranged husband.

He acknowledged that her husbands death and the BDR Mutiny had slowed Sheikh Hasinas

efforts to address some big issues. Rizvi remained optimistic, however, that the Prime Minister

could achieve her goals despite the multitude of roadblocks, including pressure from her

government, family and other vested interests. Rizvis views on a range of issues reflect ours,

and he provides an invaluable avenue to the Prime Minister. He raised many of our issues in a

three-hour meeting with her following his May 26 call on the Ambassador. He remains a

valuable contact and conduit for information.

News Source:

The Independenthttp://news.priyo.com/politics/2011/09/17/wikileaks-hasina-tried-communi-37589.html

Documents

Khaleda Zia's Comment