Hasina's bail prayer rejected
A special court yesterday rejected the bail prayer of former premier and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina in the Tk 3 crore barge-mount power plant corruption case.
The court again adjourned the hearing on charge framing against Hasina and seven others till March 3.
Rejecting the bail prayer, the court said at this stage of hearing on charge framing the court does not consider awarding bail to her. Hasina's counsels filed the bail petition on February 13. The defence, however, said they would appeal to the High Court regarding the bail.
Special Court-1, set up at MP hostel on Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises, deferred the hearing on charge framing for three working days as the defence counsel submitted a time petition saying their senior lawyers failed to appear before the court.
The court of Judge Firoz Alam started its proceedings at 9:45am with the prosecution lawyers making their submission on the charge framing. But defence lawyer advocate Kamrul Islam rose and sought time from the court.
The defence said their senior lawyers were busy at the Supreme Court with the leave to appeal filed in connection with another graft case against Hasina. The appeal was filed in connection with the bringing of a graft case filed by Azam J Chowdhury under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR).
The defence counsel also mentioned that since the barge-mount graft case was brought under the EPR, they wanted to wait and see the Supreme Court order regarding the High Court verdict that declared the bringing of the Tk 2.99 extortion case against Hasina illegal and quashed it.
Chief Public Prosecutor (CPP) ABM Sharfuddin Khan Mukul said, "If we [the defence, prosecution and the court] do not help each other and continue to have hearing deferred on different issues, it would not be possible to dispose the case within the time limit."
Mukul said the proceedings should not be delayed due to reasons that can be ignored. He proposed to complete the prosecution submission on charge framing and fix another date for submission of the defence since they wanted time.
The defence argued that hearing on charge framing in this case should not be held until the Supreme Court gave its order regarding the High Court verdict of the Tk 2.99 crore graft case as both the cases are similar in nature and both of them were under the EPR.
Defence lawyer Kamrul also submitted a petition seeking permission to examine the documents seized in connection with the Tk 3 crore graft case.
The prosecution lawyers said the defence can see the seized pieces of evidence and it should not waste another day to examine them as half the time allocated for this trial has already been spent.
The judge said at this stage the case proceedings must go on as there is a time limit and if the Supreme Court upholds the High Court verdict and stays the case, it would be done after the delivery of higher court verdict.
The court also solicited cooperation from both sides and said it expects hearing on charge framing on the scheduled day.
It permitted the defence lawyers to examine the seized documents at 10:45am in presence of law enforcers.
Toufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, another accused in the case, was produced before the court at 9:35am while Hasina arrived at the court five minutes later. Both the accused remained seated in the dock during the proceedings.
Meanwhile, Hasina yesterday told her lawyers and relatives that taking her to Square Hospital for treatment recently was an eye-wash and she did not receive any treatment from the hospital the day she was taken there.
Hasina urged leaders and activists of Awami League to continue their work and remain united to overcome the crisis. She also requested people to pray for her.
"The medical board was formed not for treatment but just for show. Even though the board sat together, I was not allowed to talk about my physical problems before the board," said Assistant Personal Secretary to Hasina Dr Aolad Hossain quoting her as saying.
"She urged the Awami League activists and leaders to work together and requested the people to pray for her as her physical condition is deteriorating," said advocate Sahara Khatun after meeting Hasina.
"I knew that the court will give orders like this, I knew it beforehand what the verdict would be," Sahara said quoting Hasina as saying on the rejection of her bail petition.
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