By IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh’s former prime minister Khaleda Zia fears that she could be the next to be nabbed by the government after the arrest of her arch rival and another former premier Sheikh Hasina.
“It should not have happened,” an unnamed family source quoted Zia as saying.
“She has deplored the arrest of Sheikh Hasina,” the source told the New Age newspaper, adding that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader was “mentally prepared” to be arrested as well.
“She has asked family members, close relatives, well-wishers and house staff to maintain regular contact and extend cooperation to each other whenever necessary.”
The two women leaders, who never meet or talk to each other, have of late shown signs of solidarity, deploring action against either of them by the current government of Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed.
However, there is no indication of a rapprochement.
The often unwell Zia, 61, says she has been under virtual house arrest at her residence in Dhaka Cantonment, where restrictions have been imposed on her movements and on her visitors.
The government denies this.
Zia’s elder son Tareq Rahman has been in jail since March 7 on charge of extortion.
Her younger son Arafat Rahman also underwent brief detention and interrogation with business-related offences.
Awami League leader Hasina, who was slapped with a similar charge, was arrested Monday morning and has been incarcerated after her bail plea was rejected.
Zia’s possible detention, the newspaper said, could stem from cases related to business related crimes and political violence.