PM says in JS, requests BNP chief to leave the house
Staff Correspondent
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the 6 Shaheed Mainul Road house in Dhaka Cantonment was allocated to Khaleda Zia violating the Cantonment Board's rules and her cabinet would decide about cancellation of the allocation.
"She [Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia] should not keep the house ignoring the law. She should leave the house willingly," Hasina, also leader of the House, said in parliament.
The premier said if Khaleda returns the house the government would construct apartment buildings on that 2.72-acre land and allocate two apartments for each of the families of army officers, who were brutally killed in the BDR carnage.
"Each of the family can live in one flat and rent another. She [Khaleda] should give the house to the martyrs' families."
In reply to a query of AL lawmaker Nazrul Islam Babu, the PM said she checked the minutes of the cabinet meeting held on June 12, 1981. The cabinet did not allocate the 6 Mainul Road house for Khaleda; rather it allocated a house for her in Gulshan, Hasina added.
"She was supposed to leave the Mainul Road house. But she took the property in her name in addition to allocation of a house in Gulshan," the premier added.
AL lawmaker and former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru drew the premier's attention that the house was leased for 99 years for Khaleda under some conditions including restriction on political activities from the house.
But Khaleda violated the condition as she has been carrying out political activities staying at the house, and head office of Dandy dyeing was set up there, Khasru claimed. The AL lawmaker asked whether the government will cancel the lease on grounds of violation of conditions.
The premier said it's true the cantonment authorities cannot allocate the house, which was allocated for Khaleda violating laws.
"Her [Khaleda Zia] family took loan mortgaging the house to bank, which is also violation of the condition of the lease," the premier said.
During the question-answer, the leader of the house several times asked the leader of the opposition to return the house to the army.
Hasina also said her younger sister Sheikh Rehana would also give to the martyrs' families the one-bigha land in Dhanmondi which she was allocated in 2001 at the fag-end of the then AL government.
"We will construct apartments there and give some of the martyr families," Hasina said.
The past BNP government cancelled the allocation of land for Rehana and established Dhanmondi police station there.
In reply to a query of Jatiya Party lawmaker Hafizuddin Ahmed, the premier said if anybody is to be responsible for allocation of the Mainul Road house for Khaleda, former president HM Ershad should be responsible.
"Violating the law, Ershad allocated the house for Khaleda Zia," Hasina said.
The PM said the former prime minister [Khaleda] has now crores of taka and is no more insolvent and should leave the house.
Referring to the wealth statement submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission by Khaleda, the PM also mentioned her wealth.
"We heard Ziaur Rahman left nothing for her family members. But the wealth statement submitted to ACC shows Ziaur Rahman purchased land in Savar and Uttarkhan in Uttara.
"Why will you live in the cantonment being a political leader? You were allocated another house on one-and-a-half-bigha land in Gulshan, then why will you keep the army's land?" Hasina asked.
"If you [Khaleda] now leave the house for the martyrs' families, the people will respect you more," the premier said.
She said she had a meeting with bankers, who have agreed to provide Tk 40,000 per month for each of the families of army officers, who were killed in BDR mutiny, for ten years.
In a scripted reply, the premier informed the House about the facilities given to Khaleda and her two sons following the assassination of former president Ziaur Rahman.
As per her reply, Khaleda was allocated two houses, one in Gulshan and another in cantonment, Tk 10 lakh was donated to her and her two sons, Tk 1,500 a month as stipend for her sons for their studies in home and abroad until 1986, and one vehicle with necessary fuel and a driver.
The premier said Khaleda is now living at the cantonment residence and rented the Gulshan house and is enjoying all other facilities.
"But me and my sister did not take any state facilities," Hasina asserted.
The premier also mentioned that the past BNP government cancelled allocation of the two houses, which were allocated for her and her sister. Besides, the other facilities the then AL government gave to daughters of Bangabandhu were also not met.
Staff Correspondent
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the 6 Shaheed Mainul Road house in Dhaka Cantonment was allocated to Khaleda Zia violating the Cantonment Board's rules and her cabinet would decide about cancellation of the allocation.
"She [Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia] should not keep the house ignoring the law. She should leave the house willingly," Hasina, also leader of the House, said in parliament.
The premier said if Khaleda returns the house the government would construct apartment buildings on that 2.72-acre land and allocate two apartments for each of the families of army officers, who were brutally killed in the BDR carnage.
"Each of the family can live in one flat and rent another. She [Khaleda] should give the house to the martyrs' families."
In reply to a query of AL lawmaker Nazrul Islam Babu, the PM said she checked the minutes of the cabinet meeting held on June 12, 1981. The cabinet did not allocate the 6 Mainul Road house for Khaleda; rather it allocated a house for her in Gulshan, Hasina added.
"She was supposed to leave the Mainul Road house. But she took the property in her name in addition to allocation of a house in Gulshan," the premier added.
AL lawmaker and former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru drew the premier's attention that the house was leased for 99 years for Khaleda under some conditions including restriction on political activities from the house.
But Khaleda violated the condition as she has been carrying out political activities staying at the house, and head office of Dandy dyeing was set up there, Khasru claimed. The AL lawmaker asked whether the government will cancel the lease on grounds of violation of conditions.
The premier said it's true the cantonment authorities cannot allocate the house, which was allocated for Khaleda violating laws.
"Her [Khaleda Zia] family took loan mortgaging the house to bank, which is also violation of the condition of the lease," the premier said.
During the question-answer, the leader of the house several times asked the leader of the opposition to return the house to the army.
Hasina also said her younger sister Sheikh Rehana would also give to the martyrs' families the one-bigha land in Dhanmondi which she was allocated in 2001 at the fag-end of the then AL government.
"We will construct apartments there and give some of the martyr families," Hasina said.
The past BNP government cancelled the allocation of land for Rehana and established Dhanmondi police station there.
In reply to a query of Jatiya Party lawmaker Hafizuddin Ahmed, the premier said if anybody is to be responsible for allocation of the Mainul Road house for Khaleda, former president HM Ershad should be responsible.
"Violating the law, Ershad allocated the house for Khaleda Zia," Hasina said.
The PM said the former prime minister [Khaleda] has now crores of taka and is no more insolvent and should leave the house.
Referring to the wealth statement submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission by Khaleda, the PM also mentioned her wealth.
"We heard Ziaur Rahman left nothing for her family members. But the wealth statement submitted to ACC shows Ziaur Rahman purchased land in Savar and Uttarkhan in Uttara.
"Why will you live in the cantonment being a political leader? You were allocated another house on one-and-a-half-bigha land in Gulshan, then why will you keep the army's land?" Hasina asked.
"If you [Khaleda] now leave the house for the martyrs' families, the people will respect you more," the premier said.
She said she had a meeting with bankers, who have agreed to provide Tk 40,000 per month for each of the families of army officers, who were killed in BDR mutiny, for ten years.
In a scripted reply, the premier informed the House about the facilities given to Khaleda and her two sons following the assassination of former president Ziaur Rahman.
As per her reply, Khaleda was allocated two houses, one in Gulshan and another in cantonment, Tk 10 lakh was donated to her and her two sons, Tk 1,500 a month as stipend for her sons for their studies in home and abroad until 1986, and one vehicle with necessary fuel and a driver.
The premier said Khaleda is now living at the cantonment residence and rented the Gulshan house and is enjoying all other facilities.
"But me and my sister did not take any state facilities," Hasina asserted.
The premier also mentioned that the past BNP government cancelled allocation of the two houses, which were allocated for her and her sister. Besides, the other facilities the then AL government gave to daughters of Bangabandhu were also not met.
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