SHEIKH HASINA ARRESTED FOR CORRUPTION AND MURDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 001152 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2017 TAGS: KDEM PHUM PGOV BG SUBJECT: SHEIKH HASINA ARRESTED FOR CORRUPTION AND MURDER Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Geeta Pasi; Reason 1.4(d) ¶1. (SBU) In the early morning of July 16, joint police forces arrested former Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) Chairperson Sheikh Hasina for extortion and murder. Hasina stands accused of extorting $435,000 from Eastcoast Trading Ltd. for electricity power contracts as well as the involvement in the deaths of several people during political violence on October 28, 2006. ¶2. (SBU) Hasina appeared before a Dhaka metropolitan court represented by Supreme Court Bar Association President Amirul Islam and approximately 50 high-powered Awami League lawyers. The court denied bail and sent her to jail. Media reported that police will incarcerate Hasina in a government-owned house approximately six kilometers from the Embassy and close to the Parliament building in downtown Dhaka. ¶3. (SBU) Awami League Organizing Secretary Sultan Muhammed Mansur Ahmed told poloff Hasina's arrest could "ultimately be good for the party but it will take time." He added, "leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the AL have held back progress for the past 25 years. It's time for reform." Ahmed declined to address his opinion of Hasina's guilt. ¶4. (C) Comment: Authorities did not arraign Hasina on other cases recently reported in the media, including a $715,000 extortion case filed by a businessman regarding an electrical generating plant. Many of our Awami League interlocutors consider the removal of Sheikh Hasina as a prerequisite to AL reforms. ¶5. (C) At a regular western diplomatic meeting on July 16, many of the Chiefs of Mission opined that they expected Khaleda Zia to be arrested as the next step towards party reforms. PASI