Govt put armed forces in dock, alleges defence counsel
Friday, 27 June 2008
A defence counsel said Thursday the caretaker government has put the armed forces in dock by trying to entrap an elected Prime Minister in the Mig-29 scam case, reports UNB.
"This is for the first time in the history of Bangladesh that the entire armed forces have been dragged to court in an alleged graft case which is a very dangerous move for the nation and democracy as well," former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's counsel Barrister Shafique Ahmed told a court.
Encountering the prosecution proposal for framing charges against Hasina and six others, including three former top brass of the Air Force, he said, "Tit for tat policy does not bode well for the nation."
Barrister Shafique said the prosecution's allegation of incurring loss of Tk 7.0 billion to the state coffer through purchase of eight Russian-made Mig-29 warplanes does not stand at all as the purchase deal was done in compliance with the prescribed rules and rules of business of the government.
Narrating the urgency of buying the warplanes for Bangladesh Air Force, the counsel said the process was started in 1992 during the BNP rule following a devastating cyclone in 1991 that caused heavy damage to several aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force in Chittagong.
Barrister Shafique further said the Air Force had made a proposal to the Armed Forces Division about the need for buying the warplanes. Later on, several committees were formed for scrutiny and finalising the proposal.
He said the purchase process was initiated by the BNP government in 1991 and was implemented during the Awami League (AL) rule in 1996.
Everything including payment for the aircraft was made in 1999 covering three successive governments, including Justice Latifur Rahman's caretaker government.
Barrister Shafique told the court that the bidding prices for the eight Mig-29 warplanes were 289 million US dollars. It was Sheikh Hasina's government that brought down the price to $123 million through the state to state negotiations, saving $166 million. "What offence has Hasina and others committed by purchasing the Mig-29 warplanes for safeguarding the country's sovereignty and independence?"
Claiming that the purchase process was transparent, he said the deal was even discussed in details at meetings of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Defence Ministry.
He mentioned a High Court ruling on a writ petition challenging the validity of the Military Technical Cooperation Agreement with Russia before the purchase of Mig-29 aircraft. In its ruling the High Court had stated that the agreement was signed in accordance with law.
At this stage, the Dhaka Divisional Special Judge's court, relocated at the high security parliament building complex, asked Barrister Shafique to provide the copy of the High Court judgement for perusal.
As the counsel sought time for that, the court was adjourned until July 3.
On June 2, the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) prosecution proposed for framing charges against Awami League president Sheikh Hasina and six other co-accused persons.
"This is for the first time in the history of Bangladesh that the entire armed forces have been dragged to court in an alleged graft case which is a very dangerous move for the nation and democracy as well," former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's counsel Barrister Shafique Ahmed told a court.
Encountering the prosecution proposal for framing charges against Hasina and six others, including three former top brass of the Air Force, he said, "Tit for tat policy does not bode well for the nation."
Barrister Shafique said the prosecution's allegation of incurring loss of Tk 7.0 billion to the state coffer through purchase of eight Russian-made Mig-29 warplanes does not stand at all as the purchase deal was done in compliance with the prescribed rules and rules of business of the government.
Narrating the urgency of buying the warplanes for Bangladesh Air Force, the counsel said the process was started in 1992 during the BNP rule following a devastating cyclone in 1991 that caused heavy damage to several aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force in Chittagong.
Barrister Shafique further said the Air Force had made a proposal to the Armed Forces Division about the need for buying the warplanes. Later on, several committees were formed for scrutiny and finalising the proposal.
He said the purchase process was initiated by the BNP government in 1991 and was implemented during the Awami League (AL) rule in 1996.
Everything including payment for the aircraft was made in 1999 covering three successive governments, including Justice Latifur Rahman's caretaker government.
Barrister Shafique told the court that the bidding prices for the eight Mig-29 warplanes were 289 million US dollars. It was Sheikh Hasina's government that brought down the price to $123 million through the state to state negotiations, saving $166 million. "What offence has Hasina and others committed by purchasing the Mig-29 warplanes for safeguarding the country's sovereignty and independence?"
Claiming that the purchase process was transparent, he said the deal was even discussed in details at meetings of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Defence Ministry.
He mentioned a High Court ruling on a writ petition challenging the validity of the Military Technical Cooperation Agreement with Russia before the purchase of Mig-29 aircraft. In its ruling the High Court had stated that the agreement was signed in accordance with law.
At this stage, the Dhaka Divisional Special Judge's court, relocated at the high security parliament building complex, asked Barrister Shafique to provide the copy of the High Court judgement for perusal.
As the counsel sought time for that, the court was adjourned until July 3.
On June 2, the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) prosecution proposed for framing charges against Awami League president Sheikh Hasina and six other co-accused persons.