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US Lawmaker Calls for Justice in Bangladeshi Corruption Crackdown


A U.S. lawmaker is calling on Bangladesh's caretaker government to ensure that people detained in a recent crackdown on corruption are prosecuted fairly.

Congressman Joseph Crowley of New York is a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. He issued a statement on Wednesday, saying the government's efforts to stop graft could put Bangladesh on what he called "the right track for a brighter future."

But Crowley stressed that the government must follow "the exact letter of the law" when prosecuting corruption cases.

He also called on the caretaker government to announce a date for elections soon.

Several top Bangladeshi politicians, including the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, have been detained as part of the interim government's anti-corruption drive.

Tarique Rahman, senior joint secretary-general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, is in detention on charges of extortion.

He was arrested last week.

Bangladesh was to hold general elections in January, but the caretaker government postponed the vote indefinitely following months of protests demanding electoral reforms.

Last week, the government banned all indoor political events, and warned of "stern action" for violating the order. The interim government outlawed outdoor political activities in January.

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