Hasina hearing adjourned

The High Court (HC) yesterday adjourned until October 29 hearing of the petitions filed by Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina for quashing proceedings against her in the Niko and barge-mounted power plant graft cases.
Endorsing a prayer moved by the counsels for former premier Hasina, the HC bench of Justice Sheikh Rezowan Ali and Justice Md Rais Uddin also fixed October 29 for further hearing of the petitions.
As the counsels told the court they would pray to the chief justice to constitute a special larger HC bench for hearing the pending petitions like those by Hasina on the basis of priority, the HC bench asked them to inform it developments about their moves by this period.
Meanwhile, another HC bench of Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui following another prayer extended its order staying the proceedings against Hasina in the extortion case filed by Azam J Chowdhury till disposal of the rule earlier issued by this court.
On September 16, the HC bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Mamnoon Rahman granted three months' ad interim bail to Hasina in the extortion case and stayed the case proceedings till October 19.
The HC bench also directed the prosecution and the defence to make arrangements for hearing on its earlier rules asking the government to explain why initiation and continuation of the proceedings in this case should not be declared illegal.
BARGE AND NIKO CASE
The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Rezowan Ali and Justice Md Rais Uddin was yesterday set to hold hearing on the rules earlier issued by it upon the government and ACC to explain why the proceedings against Hasina in the Niko and barge-mounted power plant cases should not be quashed.
Barrister Shafique Ahmed, Hasina's counsel, yesterday prayed to the HC bench to adjourn the hearing of the petitions, since the petitioner (Hasina) was abroad due to her illness and they needed to consult with her after her return home.
The court said this court was ready to hear the matters since those were earlier scheduled for hearing.
Barrister Shafique said the cases were filed against Hasina on malafide intention and she filed the writ petitions challenging legality of proceedings of the cases involving questions of important law points.
He said the petitions should be disposed of at a larger bench of the HC and they would request the chief justice to constitute a special larger bench for hearing the matters.
Barrister Shafique, also president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), yesterday told The Daily Star the lawyers on behalf of SCBA would soon request the chief justice to constitute a larger HC bench for hearing the pending important petitions.
"The petitions for quashing the proceedings in the cases filed by the Anti-corruption Commission should be disposed at the larger special bench of the High Court so that no discrimination takes place in disposing of those matters," he said.
The HC on July 7 stayed for two months all proceedings against Hasina in both the Niko and barge-mounted power plant cases.
Earlier on August 27, the HC extended the stay order of the graft cases and recently fixed October 19 for hearing the rules.