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| Former Bangladeshi ministers held | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Two former Bangladeshi ministers have been arrested, a day after three politicians were detained in a continuing anti-corruption drive. | |
| Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, a former minister in the government of Khaleda Zia, was arrested at his home. | Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, a former minister in the government of Khaleda Zia, was arrested at his home. |
| A former minister in her rival Sheikh Hasina's government, Sheikh Selim, was also picked up at his Dhaka home. | |
| More than 160 prominent figures have been detained since a state of emergency was declared in January. | More than 160 prominent figures have been detained since a state of emergency was declared in January. |
| It was declared by the military-backed caretaker administration which also suspended parliamentary elections that had been due in January. | It was declared by the military-backed caretaker administration which also suspended parliamentary elections that had been due in January. |
| The caretaker administration says it will hold polls by late 2008, giving it time to deal with Bangladesh's endemic corruption. | |
| Mr Chowdhury served as interior and commerce minister when the Bangladesh Nationalist Party was in power. Mr Selim was health minister for the Awami League. | |
| It was not immediately clear what the two men had been charged with. | |
| A leading businessman, Abdul Awal Mintoo, who headed the country's top trade body, was also detained on Tuesday. | |
| The three people arrested on Monday were leading figures in Bangladesh's two main political parties - Abdul Jalil, the secretary general of the Awami League, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's Lutfozzaman Babar and MA Hashem. | The three people arrested on Monday were leading figures in Bangladesh's two main political parties - Abdul Jalil, the secretary general of the Awami League, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's Lutfozzaman Babar and MA Hashem. |
| Charges against the three men have not been disclosed. | Charges against the three men have not been disclosed. |
| Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina denounced the arrests. | Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina denounced the arrests. |
| Sentenced in absentia | |
| Last week, one of the most important figures in Khaleda Zia's government was given a three-year jail sentence. | Last week, one of the most important figures in Khaleda Zia's government was given a three-year jail sentence. |
| Harris Chowdhury was found guilty by a special anti-corruption court set up by the interim government. | Harris Chowdhury was found guilty by a special anti-corruption court set up by the interim government. |
| The sentence was imposed in absentia as he is in hiding. It was the first such sentence against a high-ranking politician. | The sentence was imposed in absentia as he is in hiding. It was the first such sentence against a high-ranking politician. |
| The interim government has made tackling corruption its main objective. | The interim government has made tackling corruption its main objective. |
| Among the many prominent people under arrest is Ms Zia's influential elder son, Tarique Rahman. He was detained in March, accused of extorting $147,000 from a construction company. He has denied wrongdoing. | Among the many prominent people under arrest is Ms Zia's influential elder son, Tarique Rahman. He was detained in March, accused of extorting $147,000 from a construction company. He has denied wrongdoing. |