LONDON: Amid high drama, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was on Sunday stopped by British government from returning to her country in the wake of the ban imposed on her comeback by the military-backed interim authorities in Dhaka.
The British Airways, whose flight was to take her to Dhaka, declined to issue her a boarding pass despite having a valid ticket on the ground that Bangladesh government has banned her from setting her foot in the territory of that country.
Hasina reached the Heathrow Airport about 90 minutes before the scheduled departure of the British Airways flight leaving for Dhaka at 1525 hrs. But as she went for her boarding pass, she was taken to a special chamber where an officer of the airlines told her that she was not allowed to go back to Bangladesh.
The officer told her "the government here has information that you are banned from going to Bangladesh" and showed her a letter to that effect.
After nearly 45 minutes, Hasina, chief of Awami League party, was escorted out of the airport by sten-gun wielding police officers.
After coming out of the airport, an angry Hasina, vowed to go back to Bangladesh and said "I have all the right to go back because they have filed cases against me and I have all the right to face the charges. They can't stop me from going back".
"They have no right to stop me...I will fight", she said.
She said Bangladesh government had threatened to deny landing permission to the plane carrying her back to Dhaka.
Hasina said Bangladesh government had threatened that they will not allow the aircraft to land in case she was allowed to board the plane.
Asked what she planned to do, the former Bangladeshi Prime Minister said "I want to go back and I have every right to go back. Bangladesh is my country, they have no right to stop me. Let us see, what I will have to do. At the moment I am here. I will fight."
Hasina said the interim government in Bangladesh had foisted two charges of murder and extortions against her and she wanted to go back and challenge those charges in the court of law.
Scores of Awami League supporters, who had gathered at the airport, raised pro-Hasina slogans.
The BA's refusal to let Hasina board the Dhaka-bound flight came after the Bangladesh government banned her return saying her "inflammatory" speeches could disturb the situation in the country.
Hasina was holidaying in the USA at her daughter's place and she cut short her visit there and arrived here on Thursday for a brief halt before proceeding to Dhaka.
Lord Avebury, Vice chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human rights Affairs, wondered how could the British Airways deny her a boarding pass when she had a valid ticket and passport.
"I don't know why British Airways took part in the proceeding. The question is what remedy she has when her government has refused her entry to her own country? She will have to take legal opinion."
In Dhaka, a Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Sunday issued the warrants against Hasina and her top aide Mohd Nasim and Abdul Malik, a low-profile leader of Awami League in connection with a case filed by Jamaat-i-Islami.
