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Download PDF The trial of Tk 2.99 crore extortion case against Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana and their cousin Sheikh Selim will start on December 3 at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex on security grounds.
Judge Mohammad Azizul Haque at Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court set the date yesterday and asked the jail authorities to produce Hasina and Selim, both behind bars, on the scheduled date.
Rehana, who earlier flouted the court’s surrender order, will be tried in absentia.
Hasina and Selim, however, were not produced at yesterday’s proceedings even though the court had directed the jail authorities to that end.
Defence lawyers yesterday submitted a petition to the trial court, seeking adjournment of the trial proceedings until a ruling that is pending with the High Court regarding Hasina’s bail is disposed of.
Moving the petition, the defence argued that they had earlier submitted a writ petition to the High Court challenging the legality of the case following which the HC granted ad interim bail to Hasina and also issued a ruling upon the government.
But the Supreme Court stayed the HC order following a government appeal and directed the High Court to dispose of the matter, the defence said adding that the matter was now on the High Court’s cause list.
Opposing the defence lawyers, the prosecution said there is no bar to proceeding with the case because the Supreme Court had earlier stayed the High Court order.
Sources said the government on Monday decided to hold the trial of the high-profile case at the Sangsad Bhaban complex instead of at Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court to avoid any untoward incidents.
Under section 9(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the law ministry issued gazette notification of the case and appointed five public prosecutors to move on behalf of the state.
Acting Law Secretary Kazi Habibul Awal on Tuesday sent the notification to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court.
Azam J Chowdhury, managing director of Eastcoast Trading Pvt Ltd, filed the case against Hasina and Selim with Gulshan Police Station on June 13, accusing them of extorting Tk 2.99 crore from him.
The investigation officer of the case later included Rehana’s name in the charge sheet after an investigation.
On November 11, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court summoned Rehana, who lives in the UK, to turn herself in before the court by November 18 and directed the authorities concerned to publish the summons in two Bangla national dailies.
Rehana, however, did not comply with the court order. The case was later transferred to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court for trial.
The court on October 24 accepted the charge sheet of the case, issued warrant for Rehana’s arrest and ordered to attach her property.
The investigation officer submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court of Dhaka on July 24, showing 24 people as prosecution witnesses.
Law enforcement agencies arrested Hasina in connection with the case on July 16 and produced her before a magistrate court, which sent her to jail.
Two more extortion cases and a graft case were filed against the former prime minister with Tejgaon Police Station on April 9, June 13 and September 2.
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