Case filed against Hasina, others

A case was filed against Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and two opposition whips Faruq Khan and Mirza Azam with Cantonment Police Station accusing them of violating army rules and assaulting army personnel.

Water Resources Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, who represents the defence ministry in parliament, informed the Jatiya Sangsad of the case last night, a day after Hasina was barred from entering the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) to see Prof Humayun Azad.

The minister told the House that Hasina entered Dhaka Cantonment by force in a motorcade of six vehicles on Saturday night, an act he termed 'an unforgivable offence'.

He accused the opposition leader of violating the Cantonment Act No. 118 and Army Regulation No. 518.

Some other opposition activists have also been implicated in the case.

Hafiz spoke in the House responding to treasury bench lawmakers Monjur Kader and Mashiur Rahman, who spoke on point of order. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and other lawmakers thumped desks as the minister made the statement.

The minister said supporters accompanying Hasina assaulted some army personnel inside the cantonment on Saturday night, which is a punishable offence.

Hafiz termed Hasina's attempt to enter the cantonment and reach the CMH a 'planned incident' designed to 'break the morale' of the armed forces by crating chaos inside the cantonment. He said cantonment is not a place for carrying out 'subversive activities'.