Gen Mustafiz exempted from court appearance

A special court yesterday exempted former army chief Gen (retd) Mustafizur Rahman from appearing in person before the court during trial proceedings of the MiG-29 purchase scam case.
Judge Golam Mortuza Majumder of Special Judge's Court for Dhaka Division, set up on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises, fixed July 16 for the next hearing on charge framing in the case filed against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Mustafizur and five others.
The hearing on charge framing continued for the third day yesterday. Hasina's counsel barrister Shafique Ahmed argued for dropping the charges against Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina.
During proceedings yesterday, Syed Rezaur Rahman, counsel for Mustafizur, moved the exemption petition saying his client is very ill and undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital.
Prosecution lawyers opposed the plea saying the petition was not placed before the court in accordance with the rules. The judge granted the petition after Mustafizur's counsel placed the petition again following the rules.
Advocate Sahara Khatun represented Hasina. Hasina was earlier exempted from appearing at trial proceedings in person.
The six other accused were present at court.
The other accused in the case are former Bangladesh Air Force chief Jamaluddin Ahmed, former defence secretary Syed Yusuf Hossain, air commodore (retd) Mirza Akhter Maruf, former joint secretary Mohammad Hossain Serniabat and Unique Group Managing Director Nur Ali.
The now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption filed the case against Hasina and four others with Tejgaon Police Station on December 11, 2001, accusing them of causing a loss of Tk 700 crore to the state exchequer by purchasing eight MiG-29 jet fighters while Hasina was the prime minister.