PM's adviser brings fresh allegation

Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina's Health and Family Welfare Adviser Prof Sayed Modasser Ali yesterday rendered credence to the allegation that attempts were made to slow poison Hasina through serving her poison-laced food during her detention in a sub-jail under the immediate past caretaker government.

He also implicated former advisers to the immediate past caretaker government, Barrister Mainul Hosein and Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin, along with the then deputy inspector general of prisons Maj Shamsul Haider Siddiqui in the plot.

His allegation follows a similar earlier allegation, first brought forward by Deputy Leader of the Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury on June 27, which she later disowned.

“Poison was mixed in her food. Girls there were telling her not to eat the food.” Sajeda alleged on June 27 while addressing a discussion marking the 84th birth anniversary of slain national leader, AHM Kamruzzaman. She also said the prime minister still suffers from occasional bouts of illness due to the damage caused by the poisoning.

Prof Modasser yesterday said Hasina was suffering from allergy and skin problems, and she started to shed an abnormal amount of hair during her detention in the sub-jail, which he believes was due to the 'poisoned diet' she was on.

He said the two advisers to the caretaker government were involved in attempts to implement the 'minus two formula', and they 'attempted to kill Sheikh Hasina as part of their adventure'.

He also claimed that Lutfozzaman Babar, former state minister for home affairs during the last BNP-Jamaat-led government, was also involved in a plot to assassinate Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina earlier.

“The policy makers of the government should take proper actions regarding the matters,” he said, but avoided elaborating what would be deemed 'proper actions' by him, when asked.

“When Sheikh Hasina was in prison, I tried several times to collect her blood sample for diagnosis, but I failed,” he told reporters after attending a programme marking Birth Registration Day 2009 in the capital.

He also said, “Just the day before Hasina was shifted to Square Hospital from the sub-jail, the DIG Prison and his deputy had said that her personal doctors would treat her. But the following day we were not allowed to enter the hospital.”

Agriculture Minister also AL Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury told The Daily Star yesterday that they would consider Modasser's statement as 'true', because he used to treat Hasina while she was detained in the special jail under the emergency regime.

“There is no scope of doubting the statement, as the country has a history of jail killings,” Matia, who was very active to free Hasina, said adding that repeated attempts were made on the AL chief's life earlier too.