The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

A Dhaka court resumes a hearing on extortion charges against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wednesday, in a case filed by businessman Azam Jahangir Chowdhury.

The hearing that comes after a 15-day break will be conducted in the relocated courtroom of the metropolitan sessions judge set up on the Sangsad Bhaban premises.

On Dec 19, metropolitan sessions judge Md Azizul Haque set Wednesday for the hearing in the case that also involves Hasina's sister Sheikh Rehana and their cousin Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim.

Advocate ABM Sharfuddin Ahmed Khan Mukul, the chief government counsel, told bdnews24.com Tuesday: "I've been notified that the charge framing in the case will be held on Dec 26 in the makeshift courtroom on the Sangsad Bhaban premises."

The judge made the latest decision after the Supreme Court on Dec 13 cleared all barriers to the hearing of the case in the shifted court.

The original venue for the court was in Old Dhaka, but the government shifted it to the Sangsad Bhaban area for security reasons.

The court is close to the special jail where Hasina has been kept since her arrest on July 16, pending trial.

Selim is also behind bars. Rehana has been shown a fugitive in the case as she lives in London.

Defence lawyers filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the court relocation, and won a stay order on the government decision on Dec 9.

But the decision was overturned by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

The charges involve an alleged extortion of about Tk 3 crore from businessman Azam J Chowdhury when Hasina was in office for 1996-2001.

Chowdhury filed the case on June 13, alleging that he had paid the money to the accused as they threatened to cancel a power plant project.

Hasina, Selim, and other Awami League leaders denied the charges against them, saying the case was aimed at preventing Hasina joining the next polls, expected by 2008. Rehana alleged that the case had been designed with ill intent.

The law ministry issued a circular on Nov 26, sanctioning the relocation of the court to Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban from the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court premises.

Simultaneously, the ministry appointed the Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge and five special public prosecutors for trial of Hasina.