HC adjourns hearing till Nov 23
The High Court (HC) yesterday adjourned till November 23 the hearing of the writ petitions filed by Awami League President Sheikh Hasina for quashing proceedings against her in the Niko and barge-mounted power plant cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
In response to a time prayer moved by barrister Shafique Ahmed, counsel for former premier Hasina, the HC bench of Justice Sheikh Rezowan Ali and Justice Md Rais Uddin fixed November 23 for hearing the petitions.
The HC bench on October 16 fixed yesterday to hear the petitions.
Meanwhile, the Appellate Division may hear today an appeal filed by Hasina against an HC order rejecting her bail petition in the Tk 5 crore extortion case filed by businessman Noor Ali.
The appeal was enlisted for hearing on the today's cause list of the apex court.
The HC vacation bench of Justice Sheikh Rezowan Ali and Justice Md Rais Uddin on September 29 rejected her bail prayer on grounds that the petitioner must be present. Hasina has been abroad on parole for treatment.
Shafique Ahmed yesterday told the court he would contest the election to the Bangladesh Bar Council scheduled for November 20 and thereby remain busy with campaigning. He prayed to the court to adjourn the hearing of the cases due to his time constraints.
The same HC bench on October 27 upon a prayer moved by him extended its stay orders on proceedings against Hasina until disposal of pending rules in the cases.
On July 7, the HC stayed for two months proceedings of these cases and issued separate rules upon ACC and the government to explain as to why the proceedings should not be quashed. The hearing of the rules are now pending with the HC, which on August 27 extended the stay orders till October 14.
On October 16, the HC extended till October 28 the stay orders in Hasina's cases and directed the government not to harass or arrest her within that period.
The HC vacation bench of Justice Mohammad Anwarul Haque and Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury on October 5 directed the government not to harass or arrest Hasina at home or abroad until October 20 in the two cases.
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