"I did not commit any crime. If I get justice I will be proven innocent as the case against me is politically motivated, false and baseless," Hasina's lawyer Anisul Haque, who met the AL chief in a special jail, quoted her as saying.

Zillur told journalists in his Gulshan residence in the capital that they will file a writ petition with the High Court tomorrow seeking dismissal of the case against Hasina, if the government provides them with a copy of the approved letter of the power of attorney sought by the AL chief.

"Although we applied to the jail authorities on July 20, seeking approval for the power of attorney on behalf of Sheikh Hasina, the authorities have not given it to us yet, fearing we might get justice from the High Court," Zillur said adding that an approval for the power of attorney is necessary to fight a case.

"It proves that the case against Sheikh Hasina is fabricated," said the AL leader adding that the government is frightened and dilly-dallying, so that AL may not file the writ petition with the High Court.

He said the lawyers are ready with the writ petition to launch their legal battle.

Condemning the government's actions, Zillur demanded that the government approves Hasina's application for the power of attorney and provides AL with a copy of the letter as early as possible, so the defence may move to the court.

"If the government continues to dilly-dally, we will have no alternative but to go to court with the matter," said the AL acting chief adding that getting the power of attorney approved is a citizen's fundamental right.

The AL leader said his party is a secular democratic party which believes in the laws and rules of the state. "And for this reason, we have not gone beyond the law even after the arrest of Sheikh Hasina. We have taken legal steps to free her. Instead of launching a movement we have been fighting the case in the court," he said.

Hasina's lawyer, who talked to her for more than an hour in the sub-jail, told reporters in the parliament complex that the AL chief is passing her days there with an apprehension that she will not get justice.

He however said the deputy inspector general (DIG) of prisons told him that the authorities will approver the letter of the power of attorney by today. "If we don't get an approved copy of the letter of the power of attorney, then it will not be possible to launch the legal battle in the court on Sunday," said the lawyer.

The AL president also sent a letter to the governor of Bangladesh Bank seeking her bank account information, but she did not get the information, her lawyer said adding that she asked them to pursue the governor regarding the matter.

PROTESTS IN THE US, SWEDEN
Meanwhile, leaders of AL and its front organisations yesterday held demonstrations in New York and Boston in the US, and in Sweden demanding immediate release of Sheikh Hasina, according to a report of New York based news agency News World.

The protesters held rallies in front of the United Nations Building in New York, in front of the City Hall in Boston, and in front of the Swedish Parliament Building.