HC verdict on Hasina's petition today

The High Court (HC) will deliver its verdict today regarding a writ petition filed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina challenging the proceedings against her in the MiG-29 scam case filed during the BNP-led four-party alliance rule.
The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Borhan Uddin yesterday fixed the date after completion of the hearing on the petition.
Lawyers for the petitioner told the court that no element of offence was mentioned in the first information report (FIR) and the charge sheet of the case. So, this case cannot go ahead.
Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq assisted by a number of pro-Awami League lawyers argued for the prime minister.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer advocate MA Aziz Khan opposed the petition.
The now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption (Bac) filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on December 11, 2001 on charges of causing a loss of Tk 700 crore to the state exchequer through purchase of eight MiG-29 fighter planes.
Following the petition filed by Hasina, the HC on September 18, 2008, stayed the trial proceedings against her, and issued a rule on the government, the ACC and the trial court to explain why framing of charges against Hasina in her absence should not be declared illegal.