The Bangladeshi military (Interim) Government seems to be following Musharraf's path - sending the leaders of political parties into exile.

Dhaka, Riyadh discussing Khaleda's exile modalities

The military-backed government was Thursday completing negotiations with Saudi authorities for the exile of outgoing premier Khaleda Zia, sources said. "The government gave the ultimatum to Khaleda Zia to leave by Sunday. The former prime minister, 61, may spend the rest of her life abroad," the sources said. Her archrival, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, is also set for a life in exile after she was charged with murder in absentia.

Ms Zia, living under virtual house arrest, is expected to leave for the kingdom in return for leniency for her two sons facing corruption and extortion allegations. Media reports said Ms Zia would leave with her younger son Arafat Rahman and his two children, while Tareque Rahman was expected to join the family in Saudi Arabia later. Meanwhile, a BNP member, Babul Chowdhury, has made a high court challenge against the restrictions on Ms Zia's movements. Sheikh Hasina's party press secretary said she had left the US and arrived in London and would come back to contest the elections.

The government has in the meanwhile ordered authorities at all entry points to prevent Hasina's planned return on Monday, the New Age and Ittefaq newspapers reported. All airlines, both domestic and international carriers, have been asked not to allow Hasina to board should she try to return to the country, the reports said, quoting an Interior Ministry order. Local media said they have been told by the government not to publish or broadcast any reaction from Hasina to the decision to block her return. (DesPardes News Monitor)

Hasina barred from returning home

The Bangladeshi government, backed by the military, has barred opposition leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed from returning to the country from holiday in the United States, its Home Ministry said today. The ministry said Wajed's "provocative and inflammatory speeches" could create civil unrest.

Meanwhile, Hasina's arch-rival, Begum Khaleda Zia, was battling government efforts to drive her into exile too. A deal appeared to have been sealed, only for Khaleda to change her mind, a close associate told Reuters on Wednesday.

"Why should I go into exile?" the associate quoted Khaleda as telling the authorities on Wednesday. "If necessary, try me and put me in jail. Mind that I was prime minister."

Hasina says will return come what may

The army-backed civil interim government, which was believed to be soft on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed and her political platform, the Awami League, has changed its stand and blamed her for the violent political impasse that has crippled the country since October. She is now considered a threat to the country's security and stability. The government imposed a ban on her return home from the United States. A press note issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs said that her return now would undermine law and order, disturb the prevailing stability and jeopardize public safety and economic life. She is scheduled to return home on April 23 after a more than month-long private visit to the United States.

The press note said that Sheikh Hasina was largely responsible for the non-stop street protests and other political activities that "eventually led to the state of emergency." It also mentioned that while staying abroad Hasina had addressed different meetings and rallies and given interviews to national and international media where she made provocative and divisive statements against the caretaker government and law enforcement agencies.

For her part, Sheikh Hasina told the BBC Bangla Service that she would return to the country come what may, and fight the cases filed against her, which she observed would prove false. She warned that the government would have to bear responsibility for any situation that arose from barring her flight back to Dhaka. The Awami League's acting president, Zillur Rahman, said plans for her return home remained unchanged.