Dhaka, May 28: As the Bangladeshi military compelled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign after a violent student uprising last year, she erupted at the officials and demanded they shoot and bury her at her official residence, Ganabhaban.
“Then you shoot me and bury me here, in Ganabhaban,” said Hasina. This was disclosed during a International Crimes Tribunal’s (ICT) hearing by chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam during a hearing on Hasina’s case, reports leading Bangladeshi daily, Prothom Alo.
He submitted a formal charge centring a case on crimes against humanity committed in the Chankharpul area during the July mass uprising, a series of violent demonstrations that left over 500 dead. These protests were steaming in the South Asian nation for the past two months against the controversial quota system in government jobs.
The chief prosecutor further mentioned that then parliament speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury advised Hasina to step down during the uprising, an idea which was rejected by the senior leaders of the Awami League, including general secretary Obaidul Quader.
He also described a series of incidents from August 4-5 that gave a glimpse on the last hours of Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh. Reports further suggest that Tajul Islam told the tribunal that a highly “tense and volatile” meeting took place at Ganabhaban.
The meeting was attended by influential ministers, top ruling party figures, and heads of the military and law enforcement agencies which involved heated exchanges and disagreements. According to Tajul Islam, during the meeting between midnight and 12:15 am on August 5, with the heads of the armed forces, the then defence advisor, Major General (Retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, suggested Hasina to resign.
Tajul Islam further described that in another meeting on the morning of August 5, Hasina was informed by the then IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun that the situation had become too severe for the police to continue holding their ground. “We are out of arms and ammunition, and the force is nearly exhausted,” he said.
Following this, the army intensified pressure on Hasina to resign. She slammed back at the then-Army chief, saying, “Then shoot me and bury me here, in Ganabhaban.” Reportedly before leaving Hasina wanted to record a farewell speech to be aired on television, but military officials declined.
The military gave her only 45 minutes to leave as tens of thousands of students and the public marched towards Ganabhaban. The unceremonious exit of Hasina last year was globally seen as a major setback to the democratic set-up in the Islamic country.
The interim government led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has also received massive criticism for providing shelter to radical and extremist Islamic outfits. Hasina, who sought refuge in India, is currently facing over 100 cases ranging from mass murder to corruption after she fled Bangladesh following the massive student-led movement that resulted in the collapse of her 16-year rule under the Awami League.
Analysts reckon the developments as a major political vendetta being pursued by the Yunus-led interim administration, as several cases were filed against the former PM and her supporters on frivolous grounds, and eventually banning the Awami League to keep them away from taking part in the national elections.
IANS