Hearing on extortion charges against Hasina resumes today
Wednesday, 26 December 2007
A Dhaka court resumes Wednesday the hearing on extortion charges against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a case filed by businessman Azam Jahangir Chowdhury, reports bdnews24.com.
The hearing that comes after a 15-day break will be conducted in the relocated courtroom of the metropolitan sessions judge set up on the Sangsad Bhaban premises.
On December 19, Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Azizul Haque set the day for the hearing in the case that also involves Hasina's sister Sheikh Rehana and their cousin Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim.
Advocate ABM Sharfuddin Ahmed Khan Mukul, the chief government counsel, told the news agency Tuesday: "I've been notified that the charge framing in the case will be held on December 26 in the makeshift courtroom on the Sangsad Bhaban premises."
The judge made the latest decision after the Supreme Court on December 13 cleared all barriers to the hearing of the case in the shifted court.
The original venue for the court was in Old Dhaka, but the government shifted it to the Sangsad Bhaban area for security reasons.
The court is close to the special jail where Hasina has been kept since her arrest on July 16.
Selim is also behind the bars. Rehana has been shown a fugitive in the case as she lives in London.
Defence lawyers filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the court relocation, and won a stay order on the government decision on December 9.
But the decision was overturned by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
The charges involve an alleged extortion of about Tk 30 million (3.0 crore) from businessman Azam J Chowdhury when Hasina was in office for 1996-2001.
Chowdhury filed the case on June 13, alleging that he had paid the money to the accused as they threatened to cancel a power plant project.
Hasina, Selim, and other Awami League leaders denied the charges against them, saying the case was aimed at preventing Hasina joining the next polls, expected by 2008. Rehana alleged that the case had been designed with ill intent.
The law ministry issued a circular on November 26, sanctioning the relocation of the court to Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban area from the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court premises.
Simultaneously, the ministry appointed the Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge and five special public prosecutors for trial of the case.
The hearing that comes after a 15-day break will be conducted in the relocated courtroom of the metropolitan sessions judge set up on the Sangsad Bhaban premises.
On December 19, Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Azizul Haque set the day for the hearing in the case that also involves Hasina's sister Sheikh Rehana and their cousin Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim.
Advocate ABM Sharfuddin Ahmed Khan Mukul, the chief government counsel, told the news agency Tuesday: "I've been notified that the charge framing in the case will be held on December 26 in the makeshift courtroom on the Sangsad Bhaban premises."
The judge made the latest decision after the Supreme Court on December 13 cleared all barriers to the hearing of the case in the shifted court.
The original venue for the court was in Old Dhaka, but the government shifted it to the Sangsad Bhaban area for security reasons.
The court is close to the special jail where Hasina has been kept since her arrest on July 16.
Selim is also behind the bars. Rehana has been shown a fugitive in the case as she lives in London.
Defence lawyers filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the court relocation, and won a stay order on the government decision on December 9.
But the decision was overturned by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
The charges involve an alleged extortion of about Tk 30 million (3.0 crore) from businessman Azam J Chowdhury when Hasina was in office for 1996-2001.
Chowdhury filed the case on June 13, alleging that he had paid the money to the accused as they threatened to cancel a power plant project.
Hasina, Selim, and other Awami League leaders denied the charges against them, saying the case was aimed at preventing Hasina joining the next polls, expected by 2008. Rehana alleged that the case had been designed with ill intent.
The law ministry issued a circular on November 26, sanctioning the relocation of the court to Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban area from the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court premises.
Simultaneously, the ministry appointed the Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge and five special public prosecutors for trial of the case.