Staff Correspondent

The imprisonment day of Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is being observed in the country today in a befitting manner.

Sheikh Hasina was arrested from her Sudha Sadan residence at Dhanmondi in the city on July 16, 2007 during the military-backed caretaker government, which assumed power in the political changeover of 1/11 in 2007.

Awami League (AL) and its associate bodies observe the day as the "Imprisonment Day of Sheikh Hasina".

AL President 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 her captivity 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.

At that time, the Dhaka City unit of AL collected signatures of 25 lakh people and submitted those to the then caretaker government, demanding Sheikh Hasina's release. Then caretaker government was compelled to release Sheikh Hasina from the jail.

Through the release of Sheikh Hasina, the democratic rights of the people were restored and democracy and development flourished simultaneously.

Awami League (AL) and its associate bodies are expected to observe the day by taking up various programmes including holding discussions, milad and doa-mahfils.