2007年VOA标准英语-Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
16 July 2007

In Bangladesh, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been arrested on extortion charges.  As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the detention¹ comes just months after the military-backed interim² administration tried unsuccessfully to exile the powerful woman, who heads the Awami League party. 

Police detain Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 16 July 2007

Hundreds of policemen and elite³ security forces surrounded former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's residence in Dhaka early Monday morning, and then she was driven to a metropolitan⁴ court.

Roads in the neighborhood were sealed as the arrest took place. Independent political analyst⁵ Ataus Samad says the government is taking extra precautions for the operation.

"It was a very large police force which surrounded Sheikh Hasina's house early in the morning, and…near the parliament house there is a building…which has been declared a sub-jail, there is (also) quite tight security there," Samad said.

The court ordered Ms. Hasina held for an indefinite period.  Police say she has been detained in connection with a charge of extorting⁶ about $440,000 from a businessman during her term in office from 1996 to 2001.

Ms. Hasina has denied all charges against her, and she waved to reporters and photographers in the courtroom.

Sheikh Hasina heads the Awami League, one of the country's two main political parties. Police fired tear gas Monday after Awami League supporters demonstrated in downtown Dhaka following their leader's arrest.  

The arrest comes as no surprise. The military-backed government, which took power in January, has made it clear that it wants new leadership for both of the country's two main political parties.  Earlier this year, the administration tried to force both Ms. Hasina and her arch-rival, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, out of politics.

Analyst Ataus Samad says Dhaka has been abuzz with rumors⁷ in recent days about the possible detention of the two powerful women.

We were hearing reports…that she will be arrested as well as Begum Zia will be arrested…. We were told that Sheikh Hasina has already started taking action which would be needed in her party when she is under arrest," Samad said.

In April, the government tried to exile Ms. Hasina by barring her return from a vacation in the United States.  It also tried to persuade Ms. Zia to leave the country voluntarily.  The government later backed down, however: Khaleda Zia remained in the country, and Sheikh Hasina returned to a big welcome by her party workers.

The interim administration came to power in January after differences between the two political parties on how to hold elections plunged⁸ the country into political turmoil⁹. The administration, with the backing of the military, has since arrested at least 170 people, including high-profile political leaders, as part of a massive anti-corruption drive.

1 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

2 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

3 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

4 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 extorting   

v.敲诈( extort的现在分词 )；曲解

参考例句：

• Corrupt government officials were extorting money from him. 腐败的政府官员向他敲诈钱财。 来自辞典例句
• He's been charged with extorting protection money from the shopkeepers. 他被指控对店主敲诈勒索保护费。 来自互联网

7 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

9 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。