Khaleda Zias adviser detained

Police on Monday detained an influential political figure, ASM Hannan Shah, who is also an adviser to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, for an unknown reason.

By Nazrul Islam

Dhaka, May 14 : Police on Monday detained an influential political figure, ASM Hannan Shah, who is also an adviser to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, for an unknown reason.

Family members said contingents of police cordoned off the retired brigadier general's residence at New DOHS area at noon and picked him up. The police also detained his elder son, Rezaul Hanaan.

Hannan's younger son, Reazul Hannan, said the police came and took away his father at about 2:40 p.m.

They were initially taken to Dhaka's cantonment police station and he might be taken to his own constituency in Gazipur later, said an on-duty police officer.

Hannan Shah, a former minister of Khaleda Zia's 1991-1996 cabinet, remained silent for long time, but re-emerged recently when there had been a reported move by Fakhruddin Ahmed's interim government to send Khaleda Zia into exile.

He appeared in the media with the information that Khaleda was refusing to go into exile.

Bangladesh's interim government has taken up a huge political reform agenda reportedly keeping the country's two former prime ministers - Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina-outside the country. As its part, according to press reports, the government slapped a ban on Sheikh Hasina's homecoming from abroad and tried to send Khalea into exile. The efforts apparently proved to be abortive as the administration later withdrew the ban on Hasina and Khaleda remained in home until now.

In his latest statement on Sunday, Hannan Shah spelled out that the government was planning to send Khaleda into exile into any Asian country. He also informed that the former prime minister's movement remained restricted until now and she wanted to meet the press on the latest political situation.

Meanwhile, three cases have been filed against Hannan and his son with the Kapasia police station in a week. But it was not immediately known whether they were charged with any other offence at this stage. Police also searched his residence beforehand.

ANI