British Airways officials in London have stopped former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from boarding a plane for home after her country's military-backed government barred her from returning.
An aide to Hasina says the airline refused to let her board the Dhaka-bound flight on Sunday because of security reasons.
In Bangladesh today, a Dhaka court issued an arrest warrant for Ms. Hasina. She and two associates ,Mohammad Nasim and Abdul Malek are accused of playing a role in four killings during a riot in last year, allegedly committed by members of her opposition Awami League.
She was in London following a visit to the United States. Sheikh Hasina said in an interview with VOA Bangla service that she has every right to return to Bangladesh.
The military-backed interim government has pressured Hasina, and another former prime minister, Khaleda Zia, to leave Bangladesh as part of its campaign to rid the country of political corruption.
Ms. Zia heads the Bangladesh National Party and she is a bitter rival of Sheikh Hasina. She has been negotiating a deal with the government that would clear her two sons of corruption charges in exchange for she and her family going into exile in Saudi Arabia. It is not clear whether Ms. Zia will accept the arrangement or try to stay in Bangladesh.
Sarkar Kabiruddin talks to Syed Mansuruddin , the Editor of a local Bengali newspaper Surma from London
