Bangladesh cabinet approves special lifelong protection for Hasina, family

Hasina  chaired a cabinet meeting that approved the 'Father of the Nation's Family Members' Security Bill 2009' with immediate effect "to ensure lifelong and foolproof security", New Age newspaper reported Tuesday.

The bill, to be enacted by parliament subsequently, will cover all family members of the country's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was slain in a military putsch on Aug 15, 1975. Hasina and Rehana were the only survivors.

Hasina's son Sanjib Joy, daughter Putul, Rehana and her family live abroad. The new law will cover their security whenever they are visiting Bangladesh, an official explained.

A similar law enacted in 2001 during Hasina's earlier tenure in office was repealed by the government of her arch political rival, Begum Khaleda Zia.

There have been several attempts on the life of Hasina who escaped a grenade attack at a political rally in August 2004.