A Dhaka court has ordered former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and all other accused persons to appear on Aug 20 when it frames charges in the MiG-29 warplanes purchase corruption case.
Judge Golam Mortuza Mojumdar of Dhaka Divisional Special Judge's Court gave the order Tuesday in his special courtroom set up in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex.
The court concluded charge framing proceedings in the case on July 31.
Hasina, currently in the US seeking medical treatment, had been exempted from personal appearance in the case on June 9.
On Aug 5, the government extended the temporary release period of the Awami League president for one month, after a plea by her husband, to Sept 6.
Public prosecutor ABM Sharfuddin Ahmed Mukul told bdnews24.com that the court ordered all accused to appear on Aug 20.
Hasina's lawyer advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun asked the court not to frame charges until his client returned home.
"It is mandatory for the accused to be present in the court during charge-framing even if he/she is exempted from personal appearance," he said.
But Sharfuddin said it was not mandatory to be present during charge-framing if one was exempted from court appearance.
As the defendant's lawyers participated in the charge-framing proceedings, charge-framing should go ahead without further delay, said the public prosecutor.
Another accused in the case, former army chief Mustafizur Rahman died on Aug 3, his lawyer SM Kamrul Hassan informed the court, and submitted the death certificate.
The now defunct Anticorruption Bureau filed the case on Dec 11, 2001.
Seven people including Hasina were shown as accused in the case. It was alleged during Hasina's tenure the state incurred losses worth about Tk 700 crore by purchasing eight MiG-29 combat jets.
Other accused in the case are former air force chief retired Air Vice Marshal Jamaluddin Ahmed, former defence secretary Syed Yusuf Hossain, former defence joint secretary Mohammad Hossain Sherniabat, retired Air Commodore Mirza Akhtar Maruf and Unique Group boss Noor Ali.
Subject: former prime minister Sheikh Hasina ordered to appear in court on Aug 20............ 
Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:17 pm
