--- On Sun, 11/15/09, Zoglul Husain <zoglul@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
This not the first time that the government has abused power, it has abused power from the beginning in legal proceedings, BDR events, army events, CHT, Oil-gas dealings, border events, reported push back of ULFA leaders, just to name some of the areas of consideration.
But the main thing about this government is that it has usurped power and is not elected. Their ally Ershad stated clearly that this government would never come to power without the help of the military. So did Abdul Jalil, their former secretary, who said that the government came to power through understanding with the army. What these two leaders' utterances fell short of is that through the conspiracy of the so-called one-eleven 2001 and the two-year military-controlled caretaker government, launched by India and supported by the US and their allies including the UN, and finally through rigging by ballot-staffing under military deployment in a so-called election on 29 December 2008, this government has actually usurped the power. This is not an elected government. The elections of 1991, 1996 and 2001, despite shortcomings, were acceptable to the people. But the election of 2008 cannot be accepted. The abuse of power by this government is not unexpected. We need to thoroughly expose the government. Do the people or the parliament know what agreements Hasina is going to sign in India? Would not that be abuse of power? Illegal government's agreements are definitely illegal and we cannot accept those as valid.
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:40:42 -0800 From: bd_mailer@yahoo.com Subject: Presidential pardon for Shahadab is abuse of power, say citizens To: dhakamails@yahoogroups.com | Presidential pardon for Shahadab is abuse of power, say citizens
People of different professions and eminent citizens of the country termed the reported waiving of the sentence of 18 years' imprisonment of an absconder convicted in four corruption cases as naked abuse of power and contradiction of the government's commitment to curb corruption.
According to reliable reports President Zillur Rahman has waived the sentence of 18 years of imprisonment and financial penalties amounting to about Tk 1.6 crore against Shahadab Akbar, son of deputy leader of the Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, who is also a presidium member of the Awami League and an intimate of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Shahadab was convicted and sentenced in four corruption cases under different Sections of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act in 2008 during the interim government's rule. He was sentenced when he was absconding and he is still a fugitive.
Citizens alleged that the President had 'abused' power and was guilty of 'political nepotism' as Sajeda is very close to him.Eminent citizens said it was a decision made purely on political considerations.They also said that the waiving of the sentence of a corrupt person has exposed the Awami League's hypocrisy in terms of its electoral pledge to curb corruption.
'We have heard of presidential clemency only in cases of capital punishment, but using presidential power to save a corrupt man from legal consequences is something unheard of,' M Mukhlesur Rahman, a psychologist of the Modern Psychiatric Hospital, told New Age on Friday. He said that corruption would not be reduced in the country if such things go on happening.
Mohsin Uddin, a businessman at Bashundhara Shopping Centre, said, 'It was nothing but abuse of the power of the Awami League. After ensuring that corruption cases against its own leaders are dropped, the government has now started waiving the sentences of convicts.'
'I do not have any information of a previous precedent of presidential pardon for a person convicted of corruption. If they (present and previous Presidents) did it, they abused their power and betrayed the people who are aspiring to free our society of corruption,' said Masudur Rahman, a teacher of a college in the city.
Akbar Ali Khan, former adviser to the caretaker government, and Professor Muzaffer Ahmad, member of the Board of Trustees of Transparency International Bangladesh, said that the President himself would not have taken such the decision of waiving Shahadab's sentence unless the Prime Minister had asked him to do so.
According to Article 48(3) of the Constitution the President in all his functions, save only that of appointing the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice, shall act in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.Article 49 of the Constitution says, 'The President shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves and respites and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority.'
Both the eminent citizens of the country mentioned above observed that the process was undertaken very secretly and it would be wise to disclose the process to the people.'As everyone is equal before the law, what will the government do if other corrupt persons, who were convicted in similar cases, apply for waiver of sentences?' asked Muzaffer.
Many distinguished citizens said that a very bad precedent had been set, as it would increase corruption by people with powerful connections.The Awami League in its election manifesto said that elimination of corruption was one of its five priority issues. 'Multi-pronged measures to fight corruption will be put in place. Powerful people will have to submit wealth statements annually. Strict measures will be taken to eliminate bribery, extortion, rent seeking and corruption. Strong measures will be taken against those having unearned and black money, and against loan defaulters, tender manipulators and users of muscle power at every level of the state and society,' pledged the manifesto.
http://www.newagebd.com/2009/nov/14/front.html#6 |
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