HC halts Hasina trial in Azam J Chy case

Dhaka, Jan 17 (bdprem.com) – The High Court Thursday halted all proceedings of the extortion case filed against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina by Azam Jahangir Chowdhury. Your Ad Here The High Court bench of justices Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Shahidul Islam issued the stay order after hearing an appeal filed by Hasina. Meanwhile, a special court Thursday deferred to Jan 21 the hearing of deposition in the extortion case against Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana and cousin Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim. Judge Azizul Haque Thursday set the new date after defence lawyers appealed for extra time. The lawyers stated in their appeal that they were not able to discuss the case details with the accused and sought the court's permission to see them. The judge asked them to submit a list of persons who wanted to meet the accused for him to instruct authorities to facilitate such meetings. The lawyers for Hasina and Selim submitted two separate lists of 10 persons each to the court and said five from each list would like to meet the two accused over two days. The judge ordered authorities to allow the meetings on Jan 19 and 20. Hasina was produced in court at 9:28am and Selim at 9:10am. The court started the case proceedings around 9:30am. Hasina's counsels at this point told the court that the accused had not been allowed to see their lawyers and relatives though they had repeatedly sought permission for visits. Jail authorities, on the other hand, stated that they had issued such permission to a total of 22 occasions, but the visits did not take place because of mistiming. The defence lawyers termed these anomalies as "simply juggling with figures". Hasina addressed the court, at this point, saying: "I haven't been allowed to see my relatives in the last three months." "During the one or two meetings with my lawyers, intelligence personnel recorded our conversation, registering their presence all through despite my repeated requests to leave us alone," said the former prime minister. "I'd like to draw the attention of the court to the fact that as per the Jail Code any detainee holds the right to see his or her relatives and lawyers." Hasina appealed to the court to order authorities to allow meetings following the Jail Code in a manner that allows observers to be present within sight of the meeting, "but not right in front allowing no privacy at all". Dhaka metropolitan senior special judge Md Azizul Haque had earlier set Thursday for deposing witnesses after the court indicted the accused on Jan 13. The charge sheet named 24 people as witnesses for the trial, but another person was added to the list later. Now 25 witnesses have been enlisted to give evidence in the case filed by businessman Azam Jahangir Chowdhury. Advocate Samim Ahsan Habib, acting for the government, had earlier said plaintiff Azam Chowdhury would testify Thursday. The businessman filed the case against Hasina on June 13, 2007, accusing her of taking Tk 3 crore in return for allowing him to build a power station during her 1996-2001 stint as prime minister. Hasina was arrested and detained on July 16, 2007 and subsequently shown arrested in the case. Selim was arrested prior to Hasina. A charge sheet produced before the court on July 24, 2007, named Rehana as co-accused in this case. She was shown as fugitive in the case as she resides in Britain.