The New Nation - Internet Edition

Hasanuzzaman Khan

The manhandling of a prison official inside a prison cell at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMU) has hit the newspaper headlines. Except this all other happenings in the country's prisons are said to be normal.

VIP prisoner Nasiruddin Pintu, a former BNP MP, was resident at the BSMMU for last 10 months. He was reported to have developed habitual reluctance to attend the trial court proceedings at the high-security Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Sangsad complex. Deputy Jailer of Dhaka Central Jail also his namesake Nasir Ahmed went to the BSMMU prison cell to arrange his attendance in the trial proceedings on a graft charge at the high -profile tribunal at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

The prison official was assaulted mercilessly by the VIP prisoner causing profuse bleeding from his mouth. The prisoner was robbed of division status and sent to the ordinary prison cell at the Dhaka Central Jail. Pintu, considered as the naughty boy by the former prime miniser Khaleda Zia, was known for his unruly behaviour. Pintu was declared ex-communicado and barred from meeting all visitor-relatives.

Meanwhile, Champakali, famous VIP prison cell in the Dhaka Central Jail where once Tarique Rahman resided has got new inmates--Saifur Rahman, Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mujahid. These three former ministers of the Alliance Government were sent to the Jail by the trial court after their bail prayers were rejected on Monday.

Tarique Rahman was lodged at the Champakali prison cell before he was shifted to BSMMU after his illness resulting from spinal cord injury deteriorated. He was later flown to London for higher medical treatment.

The Champakali prison cell was given fresh face-lift after the arrival of its new inmates.

Mosharraf Hossain, former energy minister of Khaleda Zia regime, was sent to ordinary prison cell after his bail was rejected by the special court on surrender in Niko graft case.

But in a new development the fugitive politicians and ex-bureaucrats who were convicted under emergency laws in graft cases have procured nomination papers from their respective political party offices. But under emergency laws the convicts are barred from contesting any election.

In Bangladesh the convicts, some of them are on bail, are having easy sailing. They have even sought party nomination for upcoming JS election. Abul Hasnat Abdullah of Barisal, Shamim Osman of Narayanganj and Ctg Mayor Mohiuddin Choudhury have succeeded in obtaining party nomination from the grassroots level. These are subject to confirmation at the central parliamentary board of the party.

US Ambassador James F Moriarty who met ACC Chairman Hassan Mashhud Choudhury recently said it is the matter between the government and the political parties to decide whether the political convicts will contest polls or not.

There are a number of Bangladeshi politicians convicted under emergency in graft cases who are visiting European Countries and the US without any obstruction. They have been holding political meetings and conferences in US and UK.

But former Thai PM Thaksin Sinawatra has become a stateless person after the British government has revoked his visa after he was convicted on a corruption charge in Bangkok in absentia. All the airliners have been instructed not to allow Thaksin and his wife to board a Lonon-bound flight. Thaksin was deposed in a military coup in 2006. A Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman said, they have checked the report with British authorities and found the visa was revoked.

Exiled Thaksin began searching for new home after abandoning his bid for asylum in Britain. I will keep traveling. I am leaving Beijing where he was at the moment, he told Reuters.

The Philippines will not grant political asylum to ousted Thaksin after his British visa was revoked. The media have reported that Thaksin may be heading to Manila, but Philippine authorities said, he has not applied for asylum and he would likely be turned down if he did.

In 2007 Bangladesh opposition leader Sheikh Hasina was barred from coming to Dhaka from US and UK where she made inflammatory anti-government statement. She did not have visa problem in those western countries. Later on she succeeded to manage to come back to Dhaka after restriction on her arrival was withdrawn.