Staff Reporter:
The 16th anniversary of release of Awami League President and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from prison will be observed today.
On this day in 2008, Sheikh Hasina was released from the special sub-jail set up on the premises of the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) Bhaban after remaining captive there for nearly 11 months.
The Awami League president was arrested from her Sudha Sadan residence at Dhanmondi on July 16, 2007 during the military-backed caretaker government, which assumed power through the political changeover of 1/11 in 2007.
As Sheikh Hasina fell sick during her captivity, demands were raised from different quarters, including the Awami League and its associate bodies, to send her abroad for better medical treatment after her re-lease from jail.
Conceding the people’s spontaneous and repeated demands and pressure from different quarters, the care-taker government was compelled to release Sheikh Hasina from jail.
In the national election of December 29 in 2008, the Awami League-led grand alliance registered a land-slide victory with a two-third majority in Parliament and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina be-came the Prime Minister for the second term.
The leaders of Awami League sought doa from the countrymen seeking sound health and long life of the Premier.