Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the Awami League government is working for the quick rebuilding of houses, roads and embankments damaged by Cyclone Remal. She extended her sincere thanks to the party leaders and activists for standing by the affected people and urged them to continue their program. The prime minister made the call after distributing relief materials among the affected people at Government Mojahar Uddin Biswas Degree College at Kolapara of Patuakhali district on Thursday (May 30). Earlier, she flew by a helicopter to visit the Remal-hit areas in Patuakhali district in order to get a bird’s eye view of the devastation caused by this week’s cyclone.

Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan said on Thursday February’s national election was stolen from his party, describing it as the ‘biggest robbery of a public mandate’.

Khan, speaking in the Supreme Court via video link from Adyala jail in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, said he was being held in solitary confinement.

His remarks were the first to be heard in open court since he was jailed in August.

“My party is being victimised. There have been gross human rights violations,” Khan said. “The February 8 election was the biggest robbery of a public mandate.”

The Election Commission has denied the election was rigged.

Khan, a 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, was jailed on corruption charges. He is also fighting dozens of other cases.

He and his Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf Party (PTI) say the charges were politically motivated to thwart his return to power.

Candidates backed by Khan won the most seats in February’s election but fell short of a majority required to form a government.

His opponent Shehbaz Sharif became prime minister in a coalition government with several other parties.