By Sumi Khan
Dhaka, Jul 16 (IANS): The imprisonment day of Awami League President and Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina will be observed in the country on Saturday in a befitting manner.
She was arrested from her residence Sudha Sadan at Dhanmondi in the state capital Dhaka on July 16, 2007, by the military-backed caretaker government led By General Moin U. Ahmed, which assumed power in the political changeover of 1/11 in 2007.
Sheikh Hasina was released from the special sub-jail set up on the premises of the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) building on June 11 in 2008 after remaining captive there for nearly 11 months.
As she fell sick during her captivity, demands were raised then from different quarters, including the Awami League, and its associate bodies to send her abroad for better medical treatment after releasing her from the jail.
Conceding to the people's spontaneous and repeated demands and pressure from different quarters, the caretaker government was compelled to release Sheikh Hasina from the jail.
Through the release of the Awami League President, the democratic rights of the people were restored and democracy and development flourished simultaneously.
At that time, demanding Sheikh Hasina's release, Dhaka unit of Awami League submitted signatures of 25 lakh people to the then caretaker government.
Paying heed to this demand, the then caretaker military backed government was compelled to release Sheikh Hasina from jail.
Awami League and its associate bodies observe the day as the "Imprisonment Day of Sheikh Hasina". They have taken various programmes, including discussions marking the day.
In the national election of December 29 in 2008, the Awami League-led grand alliance registered a landslide victory with a two-thirds majority in the Jatiya Sangsad and Sheikh Hasina became the Prime Minister for the second term.
After that, Awami League became triumphant in the general elections of 2014 and 2018 and formed the government.
The programmes organised by the Awami League and its associate bodies include offering special prayers in all mosques, temples, churches, pagodas and other religious places of worship seeking Sheikh Hasina's long life and good health.