April 13, 2007	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1428

DHAKA, April 12: The interim government of Bangladesh has no intention to force Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia into exile. The government rather needed cooperation of the major political parties to lead the country towards holding a free and fair election, said an influential adviser to the interim administration on Thursday.

“We will ensure that former premiers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia are not harassed as they are very important persons in the country. We rather need cooperation of the political parties to lead the country towards holding a free and fair election,” the communications adviser, MA Matin, told reporters at his secretariat office.

However, Hasina has recently been implicated in two criminal cases, extortion and murder. Hasina would not be arrested, particularly in connection with the ‘extortion’ case, before any charge sheet was framed, said the adviser.

“I myself will look into the matter so that no confusion or misunderstanding is created in the name of filing cases. The task force will complete investigation within a month and also find out whether there is any conspiracy behind filing of the extortion case (against Hasina),” Matin, chairman of the national coordination committee against corruption, told a questioner.

Hasina, now in the US on a private trip and facing extortion and murder charges at home, has changed her mind twice as regards returning to Bangladesh.