The Awami League government just let H.M. Ershad have a pass–it dropped charges brought against him by the BNP led government of the 1990’s. Along with 75 others withdrawals out 836 politically motivated cases,the case against former President Ershad’s moves to buy radar techinology from the United States at a higher price, presumably pocketing the surplus proceeds was withdrawn.
H.M. Ershad’s case was just one of the numerous cases withdrawn from the docket brought by the then-rightist BNP-Jamaat coalition and by previous care-taker governments. However, the facts behind the withdrawal seem quite colorful since the last time the committee to adjudicate these sorts of withdrawals had earlier decided that it would not take on graft cases–the very sort of malfeasance for which President Ershad had been charged.
This move is quite likely designed to draw Ershad and his off-shoot of theJatiya Party (JP) closer to the AL, though relations remain fraught after a series of mutual defections. Alternatively this might been a move to ensure that at least the JP does not align with the BNP against the AL.
Sheikh Hasina wants to say: “Remember it was during the first run of BNP rule under then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia that all this weighted trouble came to roost on your shoulders. In one move, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina the leader of the Awami League has denatured a political opponent and has either drawn him closer or has moved him away from her main political opponent, the BNP.