| Submit your comments on this article |
| Bangladesh |
| Bangla pol sacked over terrorist links |
| 2005-11-25 |
| Bangladesh's ruling party has sacked one of its parliament members for accusing the government of sheltering and patronising Islamist militants. Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia ordered the expulsion of Abu Hena, a member of parliament from northern Rajshahi district, from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, said a party statement issued late on Thursday. "She has cancelled Hena's primary party membership as a disciplinary action for his misconduct and for tarnishing the image of the party," it said . Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar said Hena, a former bureaucrat turned politician, would continue to remain a member of parliament as per constitutional provisions. He gave no details. In comments over the past week, Hena alleged the ruling party and the government had "not only turned a blind eye to Islamist militants but helped them to thrive in Bangladesh." "The militants are backed by elements who opposed the country's 1971 independence from Pakistan but are now partners of the government," Hena said, apparently a reference to the Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's biggest religion-based political party and a coalition partner of the ruling party. Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP both deny any link to Islamist militants blamed for a wave of countrywide bombings that has killed six people, including two judges, and wounded about 120 since Aug. 17. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |