Graphic representation of maritime zones

Features, limits and zones

Maritime boundary is a conceptual means of division of the water surface of the planet into maritime areas that are defined through surrounding physical geography or by human geography. As such it usually includes areas of exclusive national rights over the mineral and biological resources,^[1] encompassing maritime features, limits and zones.^[2] Although in some countries the term maritime boundary represent borders of a maritime nation^[3] and are recognized by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, they usually serve to identify international waters.

Maritime boundaries exist in the context of territorial waters, contiguous zones, and exclusive economic zones; however, the terminology does not encompass lake or river boundaries, which are considered within the context of land boundaries.

Some maritime boundaries have remained indeterminate despite efforts to clarify them. This is explained by an array of factors, some of which illustrate regional problems.^[4]

The delineation of maritime boundaries has strategic, economic and environmental implications.^[5]

Terminology[link]

The terms boundary, frontier and border are often used as if they were interchangeable, but they are also terms with precise meanings.^[6]

A boundary is a line. The terms "frontier", "borderland" and "border are zones of indeterminate width. Such areas forms the outermost part of a country. Borders are bounded on one side by a national boundary.^[7] There are variations in the specific terminology of maritime boundary agreements which have been concluded since the 1970s. Such differences are less important than what is being delimited.^[8]

Features[link]

Features which affect maritime boundaries include islands and the submerged seabed of the continental shelf.^[2]

The process of boundary delimitation in the ocean encompasses the natural prolongation of geological features and outlying territory. The process of establishing "positional" borders encompasses the distinction between previously resolved and never-resolved controversies.^[9]

Limits[link]

Map showing Australian maritime zones including the waters associated with the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT)

The limits of maritime boundaries are expressed in polylines and in polygon layers of sovereignty and control,^[10] calculated from the declaration of a baseline. The conditions under which a state may establish such baseline are described in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). A baseline of a country can be the low water line, a straight baseline (a line that encloses bays, estuaries, inland waters,...) or a combination of the two.^[1]

For example, in the map at the right which shows Australian Arctic Territorial (AAT) maritime zones, the Adélie Land or French territorial claim to Antarctica is indicated as a break the AAT waters. This portion of the Antarctic coast between 136° E and 142° E has a shore length of 350 km and associated maritime zones which are not recognized by all governments.

Zones[link]

The zones of maritime boundaries are expressed in concentric limits surrounding coastal and feature baselines.^[1]

• Coastal waters—the zone extending 3 nm. from the baseline.^[2]
• Territorial sea—the zone extending 12 nm. from the baseline.^[2]
• Contiguous zone—the area extending 24 nm. from the baseline.^[2]
• Exclusive Economic Zone—the area extending 200 nm. from the baseline except when the space between two countries is less than 400 nm.^[2]

In the case of overlapping zones, the boundary is presumed to conform to the equidistance principle or it is explicitly described in a multilateral treaty.^[1]

Contemporary negotiations have produced tripoint and quadripoint determinations. For example, the 1982 Australia–France Marine Delimitation Agreement, it was assumed that France has sovereignty over Matthew and Hunter Islands, a territory that is also claimed by Vanuatu. The northernmost point in the boundary is a tripoint with the Solomon Islands. The boundary runs in a roughly north–south direction and then turns and runs west–east until it almost reaches the 170th meridian east.^[11] The effect of these negotiated specifics is reflected in the map of Australian maritime zones at the right.

History[link]

The concept of maritime boundaries is a relative new concept.^[1] The historical record is a backdrop for evaluating border issues.^[12] The evaluation of historic rights are governed by distinct legal regimes in customary international law, including research and analysis based on

• acquisition and occupation^[13]
• the existence of rights ipso facto and ab initio.^[13]

The study of treaties on maritime boundaries is important as (a) as a source of general or particular international law; (b) as evidence of existing customary law; and (c) as evidence of the emerging development of custom.^[14] The development of "customary law" affects all nations.

The attention accorded this subject has evolved beyond formerly-conventional norms like the three-mile limit.

Treaties[link]

Multilateral treaties and documents describing the baselines of countries can be found on the website of the United Nations.^[1]

For example, the Australia–France Marine Delimitation Agreement establishes ocean boundaries between Australia and New Caledonia in the Coral Sea (including the boundary between Australia's Norfolk Island and New Caledonia). It consists of 21 straight-line maritime segments defined by 22 individual coordinate points forming a modified equidistant line between the two territories.^[11] The effect of this treaty is incorporated in the map of Australian maritime zones at the right.

Disputes[link]

Controversies about territorial waters tend to encompass two dimensions: (a) territorial sovereignty, which are a legacy of history; and (b) relevant jurisdictional rights and interests in maritime boundaries, which are mainly due to differing interpretations of the law of the sea.^[15]. An example of this may be reviewed in the context of the ongoing Kuwait-Iraq maritime dispute over the Khawr Abd Allah waterway.

Many disputes have been resolved through negotiations,^[16] but not all.

Unresolved maritime boundaries[link]

The disputed maritime border between North and South Korea in the West Sea:^[17]
     A: United Nations-created Northern Limit Line, 1953^[18]
     B: North Korea-declared "Inter-Korean MDL in the Yellow Sea", 1999^[19]
The locations of specific islands are reflected in the configuration of each maritime boundary, including

1–Yeonpyeong Island

2–Baengnyeong Island

3–Daecheong Island

---

  Other map features

4-Jung-gu (Incheon Intl. Airport), 5-Seoul, 6-Incheon, 7-Haeju, 8-Kaesong, 9-Ganghwa County, 10-Bukdo Myeon, 11-Deokjeokdo, 12-Jawol Myeon, 13-Yeongheung Myeon

Among the array of unsettled disputes, the maritime borders of the two Koreas in the Yellow Sea represent a visuallly stark contrast.^[17]

A western line of military control between the two Koreas was unilaterally established by the United Nations Command in 1953.^[20][21] Although the North asserts a differently configured boundary line, there is no dispute that a few small islands close to the North Korean coastline have remained jurisdiction of the United Nations since 1953.^[22]

The map at the right shows the differing maritime boundary lines of the two Koreas. The ambits of these boundaries encompass overlapping jurisdictional claims.^[23] The explicit differences in the way the boundary lines are configured is shown in the map at the right.

In a very small area, this represents a unique illustration of differences in mapping and delineation strategies.

• On one hand, the United Nations-created boundary line ("A") reflects the geographic features of the coastal baseline.^[18]
• On the other hand, while the North Korean-declared boundary line does acknowledges specific non-DPKR island enclaves, its "Military Demarcation Line" in the ocean ("B") is essentially a straight line.^[19]

Violent clashes in these disputed waters include what are known as the first Yeonpyeong incident, the second Yeonpyeong incident, and the Bombardment of Yeonpyeong.^[24]

See also[link]

• List of countries and territories by land and maritime borders
• List of political and geographic borders

• Exclusive Economic Zone
• Arctic Cooperation and Politics
• Territorial claims in the Arctic
• International Seabed Authority
• South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission
• International Court of Justice
• Jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice
• Permanent Court of Arbitration

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Anderson, Ewan W. (2003). International Boundaries: A Geopolitical Atlas. Routledge: New York. 10-ISBN 1-57958-375-X/13-ISBN 978-1-57958-375-0; OCLC 54061586
• Carleton, Chris; Shelagh Furness and Clive Schofield. (2001). Developments in the Technical Determination of Maritime Space: Delimitation, Dispute Resolution, Geographical Information Systems and the Role of the Technical Expert. Durham, UK: IBRU. 10-ISBN 1-897643-47-0/13-ISBN 978-1-897643-47-1; OCLC 248943759
• Charney, Jonathan I., David A. Colson, Robert W. Smith. (2005). International Maritime Boundaries, 5 vols. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. 10-ISBN 0-7923-1187-6/13-ISBN 978-0-7923-1187-4; 10-ISBN 90-411-1954-X/13-ISBN 978-90-411-1954-4; 10-ISBN 90-411-0345-7/13-ISBN 978-90-411-0345-1; 10-ISBN 90-04-14461-7/13-ISBN 978-90-04-14461-3; 10-ISBN 90-04-14479-X/13-ISBN 978-90-04-14479-8; OCLC 23254092
• Elferink, Alex G. Oude, (1994). The Law of Maritime Boundary Delimitation: a Case Study of the Russian Federation. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff. 10-ISBN 0-7923-3082-X/13-ISBN 978-0-7923-3082-0; OCLC 123566768
• Jagota, S. P. (1985). Maritime Boundary. Martinis Nijhoff: Dordrecht. 10-ISBN 90-247-3133-X/13-ISBN 978-90-247-3133-6; 10-ISBN 90-247-2616-6/13-ISBN 978-90-247-2616-5; OCLC 1175640
• Koo, Min Gyu. (2010). Disputes and Maritime Regime Building in East Asia. Dordrecht: Springer. 10-ISBN 1-4419-6223-9/13-ISBN 978-1-4419-6223-2; OCLC 626823444
• Kratochwil, Friedrich V., Paul Rohrlich, Harpreet Mahajan. (1985). Peace and Disputed Sovereignty. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America. 10-ISBN 0-8191-4953-5/13-ISBN 978-0-8191-4953-4; 10-ISBN 0-8191-4954-3; 13-ISBN 978-0-8191-4954-1; OCLC 12550771
• Prescott, John Robert Victor and Gillian D. Triggs. (2008). International Frontiers and Boundaries: Law, Politics and Geography. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff. 13-ISBN 978-90-04-16785-8/10-ISBN 90-04-16785-4; OCLC 212375790
• __________. (1985). The Maritime Political Boundaries of the World. London: Methuen. 10-ISBN 0-416-41750-7/13-ISBN 978-0-416-41750-0; OCLC 12582178
• Valencia, Mark J. (2001). Maritime Regime Building: Lessons Learned and Their Relevance for Northeast Asia. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff. 10-ISBN 90-411-1580-3/13-ISBN 978-90-411-1580-5; OCLC 174100966

Further reading[link]

• Donaldson, John and Alison Williams. "Understanding Maritime Jurisdictional Disputes: The East China Sea and Beyond," Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 59, No. 1.

External links[link]

• US Department of State, Limits in the Seas
• Flanders Marine Institute, VLIZ Maritime Boundaries Geodatabase

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. It needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since October 2011. It may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Tagged since October 2011.

Sheikh Hasina শেখ হাসিনা
Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 January 2009
President	Iajuddin Ahmed Zillur Rahman
Preceded by	Fakhruddin Ahmed (Acting)
In office 23 June 1996 – 15 July 2001
President	Abdur Rahman Biswas Shahabuddin Ahmed
Preceded by	Muhammad Habibur Rahman (Acting)
Succeeded by	Latifur Rahman (Acting)
Personal details
Born	(1947-09-28) 28 September 1947 (age 64) Tungipara, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)
Political party	Awami League Grand Alliance (2008–present)
Spouse(s)	Wazed Miah (1968–2009)
Children	Sajeeb Saima
Alma mater	Eden College University of Dhaka

Sheikh Hasina (Bengali: শেখ হাসিনা Shekh Hasina) (born September 28, 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician and current Prime Minister of Bangladesh.^[1] She has been the President of the Bangladesh Awami League, a major political party, since 1981. She is the eldest of five children of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father (and first president) of Bangladesh and widow of a reputed nuclear scientist, M. A. Wazed Miah. Sheikh Hasina's party defeated the BNP-led Four-Party Alliance in the 2008 parliamentary elections, thus assuring her of the post of prime minister. Sheikh Hasina has once before held the office, from 1996 to 2001.

Early life[link]

Sheikh Hasina's political career started as a student activist in Dhaka Government Intermediate College in the 1960s. While at College, she was elected vice president of the College Students Union for the term 1966–67.

During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Hasina, then a young mother, was held under house arrest with her mother, brothers, sister and her son. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was imprisoned in West Pakistan during this period. After liberation, Hasina's involvement in politics was minimal as Sheikh Kamal, her brother, was touted as Mujib's successor.

Member of the National Assembly[link]

In the night of August 15, 1975, her father and almost her entire family, including her mother and three brothers, was assassinated in a coup d'état by a section of disgruntled officers of the Bangladesh Army, some of whom were freedom fighters during 1971.^[2] Sheikh Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana were on a goodwill tour of West Germany at that time. Hasina then sought refuge in United Kingdom and later, in India. She lived in exile in New Delhi, India, until May 17, 1981, when she was allowed to return to Bangladesh.

Movement against autocracy[link]

While living in self-exile in India, Sheikh Hasina was elected President of the Bangladesh Awami League in 1981. After she returned to the country, President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in yet another coup in May, 1981. The following year, General Hossain Mohammad Ershad captured power through a bloodless coup and declared martial law. In 1983, Hasina formed the 15-party alliance to launch a movement to oust him from power. She was in and out of detention throughout the 1980s. Her party, along with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Ziaur Rahman's widow Khaleda Zia, was instrumental in the movement against the military rule. In 1984, Hasina was put under house arrest in February and then again in November. In March 1985, she was put under house arrest for three months.

In 1990, Hasina's 8-party alliance was instrumental along with another BNP-led alliance in finally removing the Ershad regime.

Leader of the opposition[link]

Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League participated in the 1986 Parliamentary elections held under President Lieutenant-General Hossain Mohammad Ershad. She served as the leader of the opposition in 1986–1987. Hasina's decision to take part in the election has been criticized by her opponents, since the election was held under dictatorial rule. Her supporters maintain that she used the platform effectively to challenge Ershad's rule. The parliament was dissolved in December 1987. Being the leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina always pushed the govt. to render accountability and transparency in all sphere of life criticizing the activities of the cabinet.

The first democratic elections were held in 1991 after a long period of military rule. A caretaker government, headed by Shahabuddin Ahmed, the outgoing chief justice, oversaw the elections. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won the election, and Hasina's Awami League emerged as the largest opposition party. Hasina was defeated in the Dhaka constituency that she contested by Sadeque Hossain Khoka, later Mayor of Dhaka, but was elected to the Parliament from her home constituency in Gopalganj. Hasina accused the BNP of "nuanced rigging" in elections. Hasina, nevertheless, offered to resign as the party president but later stayed on at the request of party leaders. Khaleda Zia of the BNP took office as the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Politics in Bangladesh took a decisive turn in 1994, after Magura by-elections. This election was held after the MP for that constituency, a member of Hasina's party, died. The Awami League was expected to win it back, but the seat was won by the BNP. The opposition parties accused the BNP of widespread rigging and the election commission of incompetence. The Awami League, with other opposition parties, demanded that the next general elections be held under a caretaker government, and that the notion of a caretaker government be incorporated in the constitution. The ruling party of Khaleda Zia, Hasina's arch rival, refused to give in to these demands.

Opposition parties launched an unprecedented campaign, calling strikes for weeks on end. The government accused them of destroying the economy while the opposition countered that BNP could solve this problem by acceding to their demands. In late 1995, the MPs of the Awami League and other parties lost their seats due to prolonged absence from parliament. The government declared elections on February 15, 1996, an election that was boycotted by all major parties except the ruling BNP. Hasina claimed that the election was a farce. The elected parliament, composed mostly of BNP members, finally amended the constitution to create provisions for a caretaker government. The next parliamentary elections were held under a caretaker government headed by Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman on June 30, 1996.

Prime minister[link]

U.S. President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina making a joint statement to the press following their bilateral meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Dhaka during Clinton's visit to Bangladesh in March 2000.

The Awami League won 146 seats in the 1996 parliamentary elections. The support of the Jatiya Party and a few independent candidates were enough for the 150+ seats needed for the required majority. Hasina took the oath as Prime minister of Bangladesh. She vowed to create a Government of National Unity. Though some smaller parties and a few individuals from BNP did join the government, the distance between the main two political parties (as well as their leaders) remained as large as ever. Hasina did manage to convince Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, who led the first caretaker government, to assume the post of President. This selection of an unbiased person as president was praised by her supporters as a proof of Hasina's goodwill to reach out to the opposition.

A major achievement of the new government was to strike a treaty between India and Bangladesh concerning the Farakka Barrage, a bone of contention between the two countries ever since it was built in the 1960s. According to the treaty, Bangladesh was to receive 33 thousand cubic feet per second (930 m³/s) of water. Hasina next went on to create a 'Peace Treaty' with the tribal rebels in the mountainous southeast of the country, thus seemingly solving a problem as old as Bangladesh itself. Though rebel activities have reduced greatly after the treaty, the region remains a hotbed of tension.

On the down side, the Awami League was criticized for harbouring gangsters turned politicians, most notably Jainal Hazari of Feni. Her government was also criticized for overusing Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—the country's founding leader and also father to Sheikh Hasina—in the media and naming many major public institutions and constructions after him. The Awami League maintained that previous governments had tried to systematically eradicate Sheikh Mujib's legacy from the country and that the honour he was getting was long overdue. The BNP also accused the Awami League of politicising the administration and state-owned media. Her party was also accused of being lenient towards India, especially after a shootout between border forces of India and Bangladesh left 16 Indian and 3 Bangladeshi border guards dead.

During the last year of her rule, Transparency International declared Bangladesh to be the most corrupt country in the world. Though Bangladesh had almost always been in the bottom five, the last position created an uproar and was seen by many as a major failure by Hasina. Though Hasina was voted out of office later, Bangladesh remained at the last position for some more years. The opposition demanded that Hasina resign and declare early elections, but Hasina refused to do so. She became the first democratically elected prime minister to complete her term.

Justice Latifur Rahman became the head of the caretaker government. Awami League alleged that he was biased towards BNP after he transferred a large number of civil servants immediately after taking office. Later, Hasina would also accuse President Shahabuddin Ahmed and election official Abu Sayeed of biased actions.

Landslide defeat (2001 election)[link]

The Awami League succumbed to a landslide defeat in the 2001 Parliament elections. It won only 62 seats in the Parliament, while the 'Four Party Alliance' led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party won 234 seats, giving them a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Hasina herself was defeated in a constituency in Rangpur, which happened to contain her husband's hometown, but won in two other seats. Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League rejected the results, claiming that the election was rigged with the help of the President and the Caretaker government. However, the international community was largely satisfied with the elections and the 'Four Party Alliance' went on to form the government.

The Awami League has been irregular in attending the Parliament ever since. Hasina maintains that the ruling party didn't give the opposition enough time on the floor. In late 2003, the Awami League started its first major anti-government movement, culminating in the declaration by party general secretary Abdul Jolil that the government would fall before April 30, 2004. This failed to happen and was seen as a blow to the party and Hasina herself, who had implicitly supported Jalil.

In her second term in opposition, Hasina had to face assassination attempts against herself and killings of important party personnel. Ahsanullah Master, an MP, was killed in 2004. This was followed by a grenade attack on Hasina in Dhaka, resulting in the death of 21 party supporters, including party women's secretary Ivy Rahman. Finally, her ex finance minister Shah M S Kibria was killed in a grenade attack in Sylhet.

In June 2005, the Awami League got a boost when Awami League-nominated incumbent mayor A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury won the important mayoral election in Chittagong, the port city and second largest city in Bangladesh. This election was seen as a showdown between the opposition and the ruling party.

The planned January 22, 2007, elections were marred by controversy. The Awami League and its allies protested, saying that the elections would not be fair because of alleged bias by the caretaker government in favor of Khaleda Zia and the BNP. Hasina demanded that the head of the caretaker government, President Iajuddin Ahmed, step down and on January 3, 2007, she announced that the Awami League and its allies would boycott the elections.^[3] Later in the month a state of emergency was imposed, Ahmed stepped down, and the elections were postponed.

Extortion allegations and criminal charges[link]

On April 9, 2007, it was announced that Bangladesh police were investigating extortion charges against Hasina. She was accused of forcing Bangladeshi businessman Tajul Islam Farooq to pay bribes before his company could build a power plant in 1998. Farooq said that he paid Hasina 30 million takas (US$441,000, or €383,211) to get his project approved by the government, according to a police official.^[4]

On April 11, murder charges were filed against her by the police, alleging that she masterminded the killing of four supporters of a rival political party in October 2006. The four alleged victims were beaten to death during clashes between the Awami League and rival party activists. Deputy police commissioner, Shahidul Haq Bhuiyan said "detective branch police submitted the charge-sheet of the case to a Dhaka court today after carrying out investigations and taking evidence."^[5] She was visiting the United States at the time.^[6]

The interim administration subsequently took steps to prevent Hasina's return to Bangladesh, with The New Nation newspaper reporting on April 17 that airlines had been asked not to allow her to return to Dhaka. She had been planning to return on April 23.^[7] On April 18, the government barred Hasina from her planned return, saying that she had made provocative statements and that her return could cause disorder. This was described as a temporary measure.^[8] Hasina vowed to return home anyway, and on April 22, a warrant was issued by a Bangladeshi court for her arrest.^[9][10] On the same day, Hasina attempted to board a flight back to Bangladesh in London but was not allowed on the flight.^[11] Labelling the case against her as "totally false and fake", Hasina said that she wanted to defend herself against the charges in court. On April 23, the arrest warrant was suspended,^[12] and on April 25 the ban on Hasina's entry into the country was dropped.^[13]

With her rival Khaleda Zia being pressured to go into exile at the same time, the government's actions against Hasina appeared to be an attempt to restructure the political system rather than an attempt to support her rival.

After spending 51 days in the United States and the UK, at 4:45 p.m. on 7 May 2007 Sheikh Hasina arrived at Airport in Dhaka, where she was greeted by a jubilant crowd of several thousands. At the airport Hasina told reporters that it was a mistake for the government to stop her from returning and that she hoped it would not make a bigger mistake", while acknowledging that its reversal was a positive gesture.^[14]

July 2007 arrest[link]

On July 16, 2007, Hasina was arrested by state police at her home and taken before a local court in Dhaka.^[15] She was accused of extortion and denied bail on the same day, and was held in a building converted into a jail on the premises of the National Parliament. According to the Awami League, the arrest was politically motivated.^[16]

On July 17, the Anti-Corruption Commission sent a notice to Hasina, along with Zia, requesting that details of her assets be submitted to the Commission within one week.^[17]

Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy stated that the caretaker government were going beyond their limits, saying he did not plan to return to Bangladesh immediately but would try to organize worldwide protest. The arrest was widely seen as move by the military-backed interim government to force Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh into political exile.^[18] Earlier attempts had been made to bar her from coming back to Bangladesh.^[19] United Kingdom MPs condemned the arrest.^[20]

On July 30, the Dhaka High Court suspended the extortion trial of her and ordered her release on bail.^[21] On September 2, an additional case was filed against Hasina by the Anti-Corruption Commission regarding the awarding of a contract for the construction of a power plant in 1997, for which she allegedly took a bribe of 30 million takas and kept the contract from going to the lowest bidder; six others were also accused of involvement.^[22][23] This coincided with a case filed against Zia on the same day.^[22]

On January 13, 2008, she was indicted by a special court along with two of her relatives, her sister Sheikh Rehana and her cousin Sheikh Selim, on extortion charges.^[24] On February 6, however, the High Court stopped the trial, ruling that she could not be prosecuted under emergency laws for alleged crimes committed prior to the imposition of the state of emergency.^[25]

On June 11, 2008, Hasina was released on parole for medical reasons and the next day she flew to the United States to be treated for hearing impairment, eye problems and high blood pressure.^{[26] [27]} Prof. Syed Modasser Ali, her personal physician, threatened to sue the caretaker government over negligence regarding Hasina's treatment during her detention.^[28]

Landslide victory (2008 election)[link]

Sheikh Hasina with David Cameron in London

On November 6, 2008, Hasina returned to Bangladesh after having inter-relation with M U Ahmed to lead her party in general elections scheduled for December 29, 2008.^[29] On December 11, 2008 Sheikh Hasina announced her party's election manifesto during a news conference. In her election manifesto she vowed to build a "Digital Bangladesh" by 2021.^[30] Sheikh Hasina's Awami league won the elections on 29 December 2008 with an overwhelming majority for the game played by M U Ahmed.^[31] in the 2008 Parliamentary Elections. Her party achieved a landslide victory reminiscent of the 1971 elections of Pakistan. Under her leadership, the party has achieved a supermajority in parliament, controlling 230 seats out of 299. She was sworn into office as the Prime Minister for the second time on 6 January 2009. The Prime Minister is the most powerful executive position in Bangladesh, although technically of lower seniority compared to the office of President. Begum Zia, however, rejected the results of the election, sarcastically thanking the Chief Election Commissioner "for stage-managing the parliamentary election" in a statement. But, according to the views expressed by foreign and local election observers, the general elections were free, fair and credible.^[32]

After her election, members of the Jatiyo Sanghsad (National Parliament) exclaimed that the Prime Minister should be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for her career wide efforts. Lawmaker Zunaid Ahmed Palak said^[33]

Personal life[link]

Sheikh Hasina married to Dr. M. A. Wazed Mia in 1968. He died on 9 May 2009.^[34]She has two children—Sajeeb Wazed Joy (son), and Saima Wazed Hossain Putul (daughter). Joy lives in the United States with his family, and Putul lives in Canada with her husband Khandkar M Hossain.^[35]

Prime Minister Hasina is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, an International network of current and former women presidents and prime ministers, whose mission is to mobilize women leaders globally for collective action on issues of critical importance to women's development.

Books[link]

• Who is the father of my son (Why are they ... me?),^{[citation needed]} 1972
• ওরা টোকাই কেন? Ora ţokai kêno? (Why are they street children?),^{[citation needed]} 1987
• বাংলাদেশে স্বৈরতন্ত্রের জন্ম Bangladeshe shoirotôntrer jônmo (Birth of autocracy in Bangladesh),^{[citation needed]} 1993
• দারিদ্র বিমোচন, কিছু ভাবনা Daridro bimochon, kichhu bhabna (Thoughts on eradication of poverty),^{[citation needed]} 1993
• আমার স্বপ্ন, আমার সংগ্রাম Amar shôpno, amar shônggram (My dream, my struggle),^{[citation needed]} 1996
• People and democracy,^{[citation needed]} 1997
• আমরা জনগণের কথা বলতে এসেছি Amra jônogoner kôtha bolte eshechhi (We want to speak for the people),^{[citation needed]} 1998
• বৃহৎ জনগোষ্ঠীর জন্য উন্নয়ন Brihot jônogoshţhir jonno unnôeon (Development for the large masses),^{[citation needed]} 1999
• Development of the masses,^{[citation needed]} 1999
• সামরিক তন্ত্র বনাম গণতন্ত্র Shamorik tôntro bônam gônotôntro (Military rule versus democracy),^{[citation needed]} 1999
• আন্তর্জাতিক সম্পর্ক উন্নয়ন Antorjatik shômporko unnôeon (Improvement of international relations),^{[citation needed]} 2001
• বিপন্ন গণতন্ত্র, লাঞ্ছিত মানবতা Bipônno gônotôntro, lanchhito manobota (see following entry for English name),^{[citation needed]} 2002
• Democracy in distress, demeaned humanity,^{[citation needed]} 2003
• সহেনা মানবতার অবমাননা (Against degradation of humanity),^{[citation needed]} 21 February 2003
• Living with tears,^{[citation needed]} 2004

See also[link]

• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
• Bangladesh Awami League
• Bangladeshi political families

References[link]

External links[link]

• Awami League official website
• Banglapedia article on Sheikh Hasina
• Sheikh Hasina Mukti Porishod Italy
• Sheikh Hasina release on two month parole
• Sheikh Hasina gives a speech to open a climate conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh

v t e Prime Ministers of Bangladesh (List) Tajuddin Ahmad · Sheikh Mujibur Rahman · Muhammad Mansur Ali · Shah Azizur Rahman · Ataur Rahman Khan · Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury · Moudud Ahmed · Kazi Zafar Ahmed · Khaleda Zia · Muhammad Habibur Rahman · Sheikh Hasina · Latifur Rahman · Khaleda Zia · Iajuddin Ahmed · Fazlul Haquei · Fakhruddin Ahmedi · Sheikh Hasina (i) interim

Dr. Dipu Moni
Dipu Moni in 2010
Foreign Minister of Bangladesh
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 January 2009
President	Iajuddin Ahmed Zillur Rahman
Prime Minister	Sheikh Hasina
Preceded by	Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury
Personal details
Born	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Political party	Bangladesh Awami League
Residence	Dhaka
Religion	Islam
Website	http://www.dipumoni.com

Dipu Moni is a Bangladeshi politician and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2009.

Early Political Career[link]

Until now the principal focus of her work has been women's rights and entitlements, health legislation, health policy and management, health financing, strategic planning, and health and human rights under the Constitution and law in Bangladesh's economic and social development programmes and foreign policy issues of the region and globally.^[1] Over the past ten years Dr. Dipu Moni has represented her leader and party's position to Cabinet Ministers and public representatives of Asia, Europe and the USA, Ambassadors and Senior Representatives of International Institutions. She writes, teaches, consults, researches, conducts advocacy programmes, organizes and leads free health service clinics with a pool of qualified physicians, and promotes legislation on key issues.^[2]

Moni is an avid protagonist of representative politics and women's participation in the political decision-making process. She is one of two Master Trainers for Women political Activists of the Party in which regard she has trained women political activists under a programme of her party that she helped design and implement in a close relationship with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) of the United States.^[3]

Education[link]

Educated at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Dhaka Medical College, the country's premier Medical School, and at the University of London, Dipu Moni has undertaken specialized courses at Johns Hopkins and a course at Harvard on Negotiations and Conflict Resolution.

Personal life[link]

Moni is the daughter of the late M.A. Wadud, a close associate of Bangabandhu and H.S. Suhrawardy in the struggle for democracy and the rights of Bangalees. Mr. Wadud was a founding member of the Awami League and is known especially for his role in the Language Movement and as the first Council-elected General Secretary of the East Pakistan Chhatra League. Mr. Wadud suffered imprisonment on several occasions during his political life. After the assassination of the Founder of the Nation, upon his refusal to accept a Cabinet position, he was imprisoned by the military government.^[4]

Moni is married to Tawfique Nawaz, one of two Oxbridge educated Senior Advocates of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, Head of an internationally reputed law firm and a parampara (generational) exponent of at least a 2000 year old Indian Classical Musical form, namely Alaap, on the Grande Flute. They have one son, Tawquir Rashaad, 20, a law student at the University of London, a winner of the UCL Global Excellence Scholarship from the region comprising the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East, and a daughter, Tani Deepavali Nawaz.

See also[link]

• Sheikh Hasina
• Bangladesh Awami League

References[link]

External links[link]

• Dr. Dipu Moni's Official Website
• Awami League Official Website

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Hun Sen ហ៊ុន សែន
Hun Sen speaking at the World Economic Forum in East Asia (2010)
Prime Minister of Cambodia
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 November 1998
Monarch	Norodom Sihanouk Chea Sim (Regent) Norodom Sihamoni
Preceded by	Ung Huot
In office 1 May 1989 – 21 September 1993 Alongside Norodom Ranariddh: 2 July 1993 – 21 September 1993
President	Heng Samrin Chea Sim Norodom Sihanouk
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Norodom Ranariddh
Prime Minister of Kampuchea
In office 14 January 1985 – 1 May 1989
President	Heng Samrin
Preceded by	Chan Sy
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	(1952-08-05) 5 August 1952 (age 59) Peam Koh Sna, Indochina (now Cambodia)
Political party	CPP
Spouse(s)	Bun Rany

This article contains Khmer text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Khmer script.

Hun Sen (Khmer: ហ៊ុន សែន; born 5 August 1952)^[1] is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia and leader of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979. Since the restoration of multi-party democracy in 1993, the CPP has been in a coalition with the royalist Funcinpec party.

His current, full, honorary title is Samdech Akeak Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen (Khmer: សម្តេចអគ្គមហាសេនាបតីតេជោ ហ៊ុន សែន). The title "Samdech" was attached to his name in 1993 by King Norodom Sihanouk. It is only an honorary title and does not give him further powers. He has a glass eye, the result of a wound sustained during the Khmer Rouge offensive against Phnom Penh in April 1975. Hun Sen is currently the longest serving leader in South East Asia and is one of the longest serving prime ministers in the world, having been in power through various coalitions since 1985.

Political career[link]

Hun Sen came to power with the Khmer Rouge and served as a Battalion Commander in the Eastern Region of Democratic Kampuchea (previous name of Cambodia). After falling out with the Khmer Rouge Hun Sen fled to Vietnam. ^[2] Hun Sen was selected by the Vietnamese for a leadership role in the rebel army and government they were creating for Cambodia. When the Khmer Rouge regime was overthrown, Hun Sen was appointed as Foreign Minister of the Vietnamese-installed People's Republic of Kampuchea/State of Cambodia (PRK/SOC) in 1979 and in 1985 he was made Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Prime Minister, after the death of Chairman Chan Sy until 1990, (with a brief interruption from 1986 until 1987). As Foreign Minister, Hun Sen was a key figure in the Paris Peace Talks, which brokered peace in Cambodia.

In 1987, Amnesty International accused Hun Sen's government of torture of thousands of political prisoners using "electric shocks, hot irons and near-suffocation with plastic bags."^[3]

From 1993 until 1998 he was Co-Prime Minister with Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Norodom Ranariddh was First Prime Minister and he was Second Prime Minister. However, the actual power resided in the hands of Hun Sen because most of the high officers in Cambodia including the military were CPP members which led Norodom Ranariddh to be jealous of his Co-Prime Minister and led to a power struggle, directly resulting in the July 1997 military conflict.

In 1997, the coalition was shaken by tensions between Ranariddh and Hun Sen. FUNCINPEC began to collaborate with the remaining Khmer Rouge rebels (with whom it had been allied against Hun Sen's Vietnamese-backed government during the 1980s), aiming to absorb them into its ranks.^[4]

In response, Hun Sen launched the 1997 Cambodian Coup, replacing Ranariddh with Ung Hout as the First Prime Minister and himself still as the Second Prime Minister until the CPP's victory in the 1998 election and thus becoming the country's sole Prime Minister in 1998. During that year the media broadcast him as the Strong Man of Cambodia which he later said was premature, and that the July 1997 was merely, the government taking action against the paramilitary anarchy that was sponsored and brought to Phnom Penh by Norodom Ranariddh.

In an open letter, Amnesty International condemned the summary execution of FUNCINPEC ministers and the "systematic campaign of arrests and harassment " of political opponents.^[5]

The elections of July 2003 resulted in a larger majority in the National Assembly for the CPP, with FUNCINPEC losing seats to the CPP and the Sam Rainsy Party. However, CPP's majority was short of the two thirds constitutionally required for the CPP to form a government alone. This deadlock was overcome and a new CPP-FUNCINPEC coalition was formed in mid-2004. When Norodom Ranariddh was chosen to be Head of the National Assembly and Hun Sen became again sole Prime Minister of Cambodia.

Corruption[link]

Some political opponents of Hun Sen accuse him of being a Vietnamese puppet. This is due to his position in the government created by Vietnam while Cambodia was under Vietnamese military occupation and the fact that he was a prominent figure in the People's Revolutionary Party of Kampuchea (now known as the Cambodian People's Party), which governed Cambodia as a one-party state under Vietnamese military occupation from 1979 until elections in 1993. However, there seems to be no concrete evidence to show that this accusation has merits at all. Hun Sen and his supporters reject such charges, saying that he represents only the Cambodian people.

Forced evictions and Sale of Cambodian land[link]

Hun Sen's government has been responsible for the sale of land to foreign investors in 2007-08 resulting in the eviction of thousands of residents from their homes.^[6]

Hun Sen was implicated in corruption related to Cambodia's oil wealth and mineral resources in Global Witness 2009 report on Cambodia. He and his close associates were accused of carrying out secret negotiations with interested private parties and taking money from those who he would grant rights to exploit the resources. However, the credibility of this accusation has been questioned by government officials and especially Prime Minister Hun Sen, himself.^[7]

Personal life[link]

Hun Sen is married to Bun Rany. They have six children, 3 sons and 3 daughters: Manet, Mana, Manit, Mani, Mali and Malis. The youngest, Malis was adopted. Hun Manet is a 1999 West Point Academy graduate and obtained his PhD in Economics at the University of Bristol. In 2010, Manet was promoted Major General in the Royal Cambodian Arm Forces (RCAF) and became the Deputy Commander of the Prime Minister's Body Guard headquarters.

Although Hun Sen's birthday is officially celebrated on April 4, 1951, he had revealed that his actual date of birth was August 5, 1952.^[8] He had apparently lied about his date of birth to appear older when joining the Khmer Rouge as a youth.

See also[link]

	Cambodia portal
	Biography portal

• Modern Cambodia
• Politics of Cambodia
• People's Republic of Kampuchea

Footnotes[link]

Further reading[link]

• Harish C. Mehta and Julie B. Mehta. 1999. Hun Sen: Strongman of Cambodia. Singapore: Graham Brash Pte Ltd. ISBN 981-218-074-5
• Elizabeth Becker. 1986, 1998. When the War Was Over: Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge. New York: Public Affairs. ISBN 1-891620-00-2
• Biography of Hun Sen Cambodia New Vision ~ newsletter of cabinet of Cambodia's Prime Ministerial office

v t e Prime Ministers of Cambodia since 1970 Khmer Republic: Lon Nol | Sisowath Sirik Matak | Son Ngoc Thanh | Hang Thun Hak | In Tam | Long Boret Democratic Kampuchea: Penn Nouth | Khieu Samphan | Pol Pot People's Republic of Kampuchea: Pen Sovan | Chan Sy | Hun Sen State of Cambodia: Hun Sen | Sen-Ranariddh Coalition | Norodom Ranariddh Kingdom of Cambodia: Norodom Ranariddh | Ung Huot | Hun Sen