Hasina remains outside the Country on parole

DHAKA: A Special Court at the Parliament Complex has directed Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and other accused in Mig-29 fighter plane graft suit to appear before it on August 20 in a bid to frame charges against them. Yesterday as the defence counsels prayed to the Court for not framing charges(The Bangladesh Today)

against Hasina during her absence, Judge Golam Mortuza Mojumdar of Dhaka Divisional Special Court passed this order.

The Court's order is handed down for appearance of Hasina at a moment when she remains in USA for treatment following government's extension of her temporary release for one month more. She was also exempted from her personal appearance in the case on June 9.

Talking to The Bangladesh Today, one of Hasina's counsels Abdul Mannan Khan said, "On August 20-the day fixed for Hasina's appearance we will produce before the Court the government order extending temporary release of Hasina for one month more. We will also ask for not framing charges against Hasina in this case as the law does not permit framing of charges in absentia."

But Public Prosecutor ABM Sharfuddin Khan Mukul explained the legal proposition otherwise saying that there is no bar as to framing charges against an accused who has been exonerated from appearing before the Court.

Meanwhile, another accused in the case, former chief of army staff Gen (Retd) Muhammad Mustafizur Rahman Bir Bikram died on August 3 and his lawyer SM Kamrul Hassan submitted before the Court the death certificate of his client.

Earlier the Special Court initiated charge framing hearing in the case as the Supreme Court on March 18 finally cleared the way for resuming the stalled trial proceedings. The trial proceeding was halted by the higher Court following seven petitions filed by Hasina and others under Section 561 Cr.P.C praying for quashing the case against them.

Names of Brig Gen (retd) Iftekhar-Ul-Bashar and former deputy secretary Hasan Mahmood Delwar were dropped from the list of accused due to lack of evidence while former Army Chief Mustafizur Rahman, Air Commodore (Retd) Mirza Akhter Maruf, former joint secretary Hossain Serniabat and businessman Nur Ali were indicted in the case after investigators found their involvement in the alleged scam.

Finally those who are facing the case now include former Air Force chief Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Jamaluddin Ahmed, former defence secretary Syed Yusuf Hossain, former defence joint secretary Mohammad Hossain Sherniabat, retired Air Commodore Mirza Akhtar Maruf and Nur Ali.


Related Stories

Source : News from Bangladesh