The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Detained Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed her profound shock at the death of more than 2,000 people in the cyclone-affected districts.

She also expressed her sadness as she could not stand beside the cyclone-affected helpless people.

Hasina expressed her shock when her husband Dr Wajed Mia went to the sub-jail at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex to meet his wife on the occasion of their 40th wedding ceremony.

Staying with Hasina for about an hour Wajed Mia left for home. During the meeting grand-son Shamsur Rahman Tutul was also present.

Later, Sheikh Hasina's special assistant Dr Hasan Mahmud told journalists that the AL chief expressed her profound shock as she could not stand beside the cyclone-affected people.

Dr Mahmud also alleged that Sheikh Hasina's lawyers and relatives were not allowed to meet her in the sub-jail over the last couple of days. Cable television connection to her room in the sub-jail was snapped.

He also demanded of the prison authorities to supply all the national dailies to Sheikh Hasina.

When his attention was drawn to these matters, DIG (Prison) Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui said the former premier's lawyers and relatives were being allowed to meet her "according to the jail code." "There are examples that they were allowed to meet her for two to three times in a day when it became necessary to talk to her about the case against her under emergency rules," he said.

The DIG (Prison) said there is no scope of watching television programmes on cable channels under the jail code. "She (Sheikh Hasina) was able to watch satellite channels as there was connection of it to the house for some days where she has been kept. Moreover, there is no scope to supply more than four newspapers according to the jail code," Major Siddiqui said.