Heated dispute interrupts Hasina case proceedings
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
A heated argument between state counsel ABM Sharfuddin Ahmed Khan and Sheikh Hasina's defence lawyers halted the special court proceedings of an extortion case against Hasina for 20 minutes Monday, reports bdnews24.com.
The incident was witnessed at the special court on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises during the hearing of the case filed by Azam J Chowdhury against the former prime minister.
The argument began after Hasina standing in the dock asked Sharfuddin Ahmed Khan why the courtroom was not made larger to prevent overcrowding.
Khan replied by asking, "Why did not you do it when you were in power?"
Hasina said, "We did not want to turn our sacred parliament into a court."
Khan's reply angered Hasina's lawyers, who shouted for an apology from Khan and asked him to take back his words.
Some of the defence lawyers called Khan 'insolent' and an 'agent of Ershad'.
At one stage, judge Md Azizul Haque also asked Khan to withdraw his words, and the court returned to calm after the state counsel withdrew his comment.
The argument took place shortly before Hasina fell ill and was taken back to special jail during the court proceedings.
Hasina fell sick during the court proceedings, reporters and witnesses said.
Her cousin and co-accused in the case Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim first noticed that Hasina was feeling ill and informed the court, saying Hasina was suffering from "high blood pressure and a fever".
Hasina's lawyers appealed to the court, which granted permission for her to return to the special jail on the Sangsad Bhaban premises.
She was taken out of court at 12.17 pm, while the proceedings continued in the courtroom also situated within the Sangsad Bhaban premises.
The court dealing with charges of extortion had resumed hearing Monday morning of the case filed against Hasina by Azam J Chowdhury.
DIG (prisons) Shamsul Haider Siddique told the news agency that Hasina was taken to court at 9.00 am.
Metropolitan sessions judge Md Azizul Haque had set Monday's date after a hearing on December 26, aimed at framing charges against the former premier.
Hasina's lawyer Syed Rezaur Rahman said Sunday, "We will take part in the hearing Monday after viewing the files the government thinks of to place as evidence."
Prior to the Eid holiday, the judge had set December 26 for the hearing to resume in the case that also involved Hasina's sister Sheikh Rehana and their cousin Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim.
The charges involve the alleged extortion of about Tk 30 million (3.0 crore) from businessman Azam J Chowdhury when Hasina was in office during 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 the Awami League had denied the charges, saying the case was aimed at preventing Hasina from contesting the next polls.
Rehana, who lives in London, expressed her surprise on learning of the case and said the charges were false.
The High Court on December 9 had halted the proceedings of the case for three months and stayed the relocation of the courtroom to the Sangsad Bhaban premises after Hasina's lawyers moved a writ petition.
But the Supreme Court on December 13 overruled the HC order after the state sought intervention to go ahead with the hearing.
Acting law secretary on November 26 enacted a gazette for relocating the courtroom to the Sangsad Bhaban area from Johnson Road on security grounds.
But Hasina's lawyers had earlier argued that the government could not do so through such an order following the separation of the judiciary from the executive at the start of November.
The trial started December 3 at the special courtroom on the Sangsad Bhaban premises.
Security officials arrested Hasina on July 16 at her husband's Sudha Sadan home in Dhanmondi. Hours after the arrest, she was sent to the jail, pending trial.
The incident was witnessed at the special court on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises during the hearing of the case filed by Azam J Chowdhury against the former prime minister.
The argument began after Hasina standing in the dock asked Sharfuddin Ahmed Khan why the courtroom was not made larger to prevent overcrowding.
Khan replied by asking, "Why did not you do it when you were in power?"
Hasina said, "We did not want to turn our sacred parliament into a court."
Khan's reply angered Hasina's lawyers, who shouted for an apology from Khan and asked him to take back his words.
Some of the defence lawyers called Khan 'insolent' and an 'agent of Ershad'.
At one stage, judge Md Azizul Haque also asked Khan to withdraw his words, and the court returned to calm after the state counsel withdrew his comment.
The argument took place shortly before Hasina fell ill and was taken back to special jail during the court proceedings.
Hasina fell sick during the court proceedings, reporters and witnesses said.
Her cousin and co-accused in the case Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim first noticed that Hasina was feeling ill and informed the court, saying Hasina was suffering from "high blood pressure and a fever".
Hasina's lawyers appealed to the court, which granted permission for her to return to the special jail on the Sangsad Bhaban premises.
She was taken out of court at 12.17 pm, while the proceedings continued in the courtroom also situated within the Sangsad Bhaban premises.
The court dealing with charges of extortion had resumed hearing Monday morning of the case filed against Hasina by Azam J Chowdhury.
DIG (prisons) Shamsul Haider Siddique told the news agency that Hasina was taken to court at 9.00 am.
Metropolitan sessions judge Md Azizul Haque had set Monday's date after a hearing on December 26, aimed at framing charges against the former premier.
Hasina's lawyer Syed Rezaur Rahman said Sunday, "We will take part in the hearing Monday after viewing the files the government thinks of to place as evidence."
Prior to the Eid holiday, the judge had set December 26 for the hearing to resume in the case that also involved Hasina's sister Sheikh Rehana and their cousin Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim.
The charges involve the alleged extortion of about Tk 30 million (3.0 crore) from businessman Azam J Chowdhury when Hasina was in office during 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 the Awami League had denied the charges, saying the case was aimed at preventing Hasina from contesting the next polls.
Rehana, who lives in London, expressed her surprise on learning of the case and said the charges were false.
The High Court on December 9 had halted the proceedings of the case for three months and stayed the relocation of the courtroom to the Sangsad Bhaban premises after Hasina's lawyers moved a writ petition.
But the Supreme Court on December 13 overruled the HC order after the state sought intervention to go ahead with the hearing.
Acting law secretary on November 26 enacted a gazette for relocating the courtroom to the Sangsad Bhaban area from Johnson Road on security grounds.
But Hasina's lawyers had earlier argued that the government could not do so through such an order following the separation of the judiciary from the executive at the start of November.
The trial started December 3 at the special courtroom on the Sangsad Bhaban premises.
Security officials arrested Hasina on July 16 at her husband's Sudha Sadan home in Dhanmondi. Hours after the arrest, she was sent to the jail, pending trial.