Poison talk binned
The allegations of attempt to poison Sheikh Hasina while in detention during the last caretaker government rule do not add up, say sources close to the then prison authorities.
Meanwhile, two former caretaker government advisers yesterday dismissed the claims they had been involved in the attempt. They however demanded a probe into the matter.
Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Health and Family Welfare Adviser Prof Sayed Modasser Ali alleged that Barrister Mainul Hosein and Major Gen (retd) MA Matin--two ex-advisers to Fakhruddin Ahmed-led interim administration--had been involved in a scheme to kill Hasina by poisoning.
The then inspector general (prisons) Brig Gen Zakir Hasan and deputy inspector general Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui too had been part of the plot, he added.
In a statement yesterday, Mainul said a probe should be ordered if they have any evidence to support the claim.
He asked what took Modasser so long to raise the allegation when Hasina visited the US for treatment four to five months before she became prime minister.
Matin, the other ex-adviser, said no slow poisoning was reported even from Square Hospital where the Awami League chief underwent treatment.
She herself never complained of any physical problems.
Talking to our Chittagong correspondent at his residence in the port city, Matin said law enforcement and intelligence agencies like DGFI, NSI, CID, the Rapid Action Battalion and the SB were in charge of security of the subjail that housed Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
It suggests there was no scope for anyone from outside as well to serve them poisoned food.
Contacted by The Daily Star, Brig Gen Zakir said there was no chance to serve any poison-laced food to Hasina in the subjail.
Major Haider who would frequent the special jail during Hasina's confinement however declined to comment on the matter.
Talking to this correspondent, some jail officials said Sheikh Hasina was released on parole on June 11 last year. If the allegations were true, those would have been raised soon after her release.
They too demanded an investigation to find out whether the allegation is true.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, they said Dr Suraiya Bulbul, who was attached to the Awami League chief by the health ministry, used to test the food before it was served.
Besides the doctor, the then deputy jailer Faruq Ahmed who was in charge of the subjail would first eat the food meant for Hasina and Khaleda.
Sources said Dr Suraiya is now a medical officer at the Prime Minister's Office, while Faruq is jailer at the Rajshahi Central Jail.
"If an attempt was indeed made to slow poison Hasina, how come the two have such lucrative postings?” questioned an ex-jail official.
He said these two officials would have been the first to be held responsible for an attempt on the life of a former prime minister.
About Modasser's claim that Hasina was suffering from allergy and shedding hair alarmingly during her detention due to the poisoned diet, prison sources said she was checked by a medical board and her other personal physicians, but no such symptoms were detected.
There was no chance for an attempt to poison her as four female guards would be with her round the clock, added the sources.
Modasser's allegation came a week after a similar allegation made by Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury.
Later, BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said they suspect poison-mixed food was served to their Chairperson Khaleda Zia as well.
MA Matin termed the allegation a nasty slander and a false and motivated statement for political use.
He said as the alleged victim is now the prime minister, she can have the ministries concerned to arrange for a probe.
“Be it by a judicial committee or an inquiry court, a fair and impartial probe must be carried out,” he added.
Ruling AL spokesperson Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday said they never had any discussion at party forum about the “poison plot”.
He was talking to reporters after a presidium meeting at Hasina's political office in Dhanmondi.
Asked why the issue has been raised after a year since the party president's release, he said, "I could tell you about it only if it were discussed at party forum."
He said Sajeda Chowdhury and Dr Modasser could talk about the issue.
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