Directed by the government high-ups, investigation officers (IO) of the two graft cases filed on Wednesday notified the immigration authorities yesterday morning not to allow Hasina to leave the country.

On receiving the directives, the immigration authorities directed all air and land immigration authorities to initiate necessary steps to prevent Hasina from leaving the country, sources said.

Meanwhile, additional police, including two platoons female police and four platoons riot police, were posted near Hasina's Sudha Sadan residence in Dhanmondi yesterday morning.

The IOs later appealed to a metropolitan magistrate's court for imposing restrictions on Hasina's departure for the sake of proper investigation into the cases.

The court asked the police to take necessary steps in this regard consulting with the immigration authorities.

Hasina, who was earlier in the morning barred from visiting the landslide victims in Chittagong on security grounds, has however kept her schedule to fly for the US today by an Emirates Airlines flight at 9:30pm.

"As the court has not issued any orders imposing restrictions on her departure for USA, Sheikh Hasina will obviously go to airport to fly. But if the caretaker government hinders her journey, it is a matter of the government," Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, a personal staff of Hasina, told The Daily Star.

Meanwhile, sources said the government has also planned to impose restrictions on Hasina's movement.

Asked if there has been any restriction on the AL chief's movement, Law and Information Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein did not say anything yesterday.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is also reportedly facing restrictions on her movements. Earlier Khaleda cancelled a Singapore tour as the government did not allow her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko to go with her. An extortion case was filed against Koko just prior to Khaleda's departure from Dhaka on May 16.

Sources said pro-AL lawyers have been directed to make preparations for a legal battle.

Following yesterday's court orders, Hasina's counsel Advocate Qamrul Islam said legal steps would be taken in consultation with senior lawyers.

In the two cases, two businessmen accused Hasina of extorting Tk 8 crore from them.

In separate appeals, IOs from Gulshan and Tejgaon police stations--where the cases were filed--said they came to learn that Hasina would flee the country soon. But as investigations have been underway, Hasina's absence might hamper the investigation, they said.

They also expressed their suspicion that Hasina may not come back home once she goes out of country.

After hearing, Metropolitan Magistrate Shamsul Alam said, "The investigators may take necessary action as the cases were filed on cognisable charges."

In April, the caretaker government imposed ban on Hasina's return from an earlier visit to the US and the AL chief was stranded in London for about two weeks before local and international pressure forced the government to lift the restriction.

Hasina returned to a warm welcome from thousands of members and supporters of her party, who thronged the airport gates and roads leading to her home defying a ban on gatherings under the state of emergency in force since January 11.

HASINA'S CTG VISIT BARRED
The police blocked Hasina's planned visit to Chittagong to be by the side of the survivors of the landslides that have killed at least 122 people and injured about 100. Hasina was scheduled to leave Dhaka by road at 7:00am.

The police said Hasina could not go following instructions from the higher authorities and on security grounds.

The AL president branded the government action as "inhuman, undemocratic, unconstitutional and contrary to individual freedom".

The law enforcers posted near Sudha Sadan put barbed wire fences on the way out of the house and kept them for around a couple of hours, sources said.

Senior AL leaders including Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Matia Chowdhury, Maj Gen (retd) Shubid Ali Bhuiyan and Col (retd) Farook Khan went to Sudha Sadan to accompany Hasina on the Chittagong visit.