The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A court in Dhaka yesterday issued warrant of arrest against Sheikh Rehana and ordered attachment of her property for her failure in appearing before it in connection with Tk 3 crore extortion case.

Metropolitan Magistrate ABM Abdul Fattah issued the warrant of arrest and ordered attachment of Sheikh Rehana's property accepting a charge-sheet in the extortion case.

However, Sheikh Rehana expressed her shock hearing the issuance of warrant against her. Officer-in-Charge of Gulshan Police Station and investigation officer of the case Obaidul Huq submitted the charge sheet to the court at about 11:15am in connection with the extortion case filed by businessman Azam J Chowdhury on June 13 last.

In his charge sheet, the investigation officer accused detained Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, detained former Health Minister and Awami League Presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Sheikh Rehana. Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Selim were shown arrested in the charge sheet, while Sheikh Rehana was shown absconding.

Sheikh Rehana, younger daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, now lives with her husband in the United Kingdom.

Receiving the charge-sheet, the court issued warrant of arrest against Sheikh Rehana and ordered attachment all of her movable and immovable property.

The court fixed November 11 for hearing of the case. At the same time, the court ordered the investigation officer to submit a report on Sheikh Rehana's arrest and attachment of her property on the same day.

Managing Director of East Coast Trading Pvt. Ltd and businessman Azam J Chowdhury filed the case against Awami League President and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her younger sister Sheikh Rehana and their cousin Sheikh Selim appearing himself at the city's Gulshan Police Station on June 13 last. In the case, he mentioned that Sheikh Selim received Tk 2,99,65,500 from him on several occasions in 2000 and 2001 for awarding permission to set up Siddhirganj Power Plant at Narayanganj. The money was given through eight cheques of Standard Chartered Bank and South East Bank Ltd.

Hasina was arrested by joint forces from her Sudha Sadan residence in connection with the case on July 16. Later, the case was included in the Emergency Power Rules.

Challenging the inclusion of the case in the Emergency Power Rules, Hasina's lawyers filed a writ petition with the High Court on July 29. Responding to their appeal, the High Court stayed all the activities related to the case and granted bail to Hasina. On July 31, the Attorney General filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court against the High Court order granting bail to Hasina. Issuing an stay order against the High Court order on August 2, the Supreme Court asked the lower court to complete the hearing of the case and resolve it as quickly as possible.

In the context of the Supreme Court order, the Metropolitan Magistrate court yesterday accepted the charge-sheet.

During the submission of the charge-sheet at the court, more than 50 lawyers, including Awami League's law affairs secretary Advocate Sahara Khatun and Advocate Quamrul Islam were present.

The lawyers on behalf of the accused prayed for hearing of the case at the court. Terming the acceptance of the case as illegal, the lawyers said the court could not accept the charge-sheet when a High Court ruling on the case was still pending.

Coming out of the court, Advocate Sahara Khatun said the lower court cannot deal with proceedings of the case if the hearing on the ruling of a case remains pending with higher court. "We told the court about it. In spite of hearing our arguments, the court accepted the charge-sheet. It is an unprecedented example," she said.