The High Court in Dhaka quashed all the corruption charges brought against sitting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her involvement in purchasing Russian MIG-29 planes during her previous term in office. The charges, brought by a group that was associated with the BNP-led coalition were dropped declared the Court because the charges were meant to tarnish Sheikh Hasina’s repuation and there was evidence that she or her government had engaged in any irregular activity during the proceedings.
Germany’s DPA reports the news:
“The case was lodged by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led alliance government of Khaleda Zia immediately after Hasina lost power in the 2001 elections. Hasina and six others were accused of incurring financial losses to the state of 129 million US dollars in the purchase of eight Russian MiG-29 fighter planes. The former Bureau of Anti-Corruption, the predecessor of the current Anti-Corruption Commission, had lodged the corruption case.”
Interestingly, just today, Sheikh Hasina revealed her defense purchase plans on the occasion of the Bangladesh Air Force annual exercise.
The Daily Star reports:
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday unveiled her government’s big defence purchase plan to procure fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missile system, helicopters, air-defence radars and armaments for [the]Bangladesh Air Force soon.”
Promising the largest defense budget in the history of the Air Force, Sheikh Hasina reassured her audience that she would also pay attention to the social welfare of the members of the Air Force. At the top of her list of priorities, she claimed is to ensure the financial solvency of the members of the Air Force.
It is noteworthy, then, that along with her commitment to a knowledge based Air Force, she insisted that she would increase the number the participation of the Air Force in United Nations Peacekeeping Missions.
