The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Attending the final day of charge framing hearing in a makeshift court in Parliament building complex, detained former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said she would not go abroad for treatment if the Government sets any pre-conditions for that.

Disclosing this after the hearing, her lawyer Barrister Shafique Ahmed told journalists that Sheikh Hasina, who is the President of Awami League (AL), also demanded immediate holding of the general elections.

The charge framing hearing against Sheikh Hasina in a Tk three crore extortion case filed by a businessman concluded yesterday in the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court.

The judge adjourned the Court till January 13 after prolonged hearing yesterday. The judge said he would deliver the verdict of the charge-framing hearing on January 13.

The Court resumed the hearing on framing of the charge at 9:35am after two adjournments since Sheikh Hasina fell sick in the courtroom on December 31.

Azam J Chowdhury, Managing Director of the East West Private Company Limited filed the case alleging that Sheikh Hasina while in power as the Prime Minister forced his firm to pay Tk 3 crore-extortion money for awarding a power project contract. She ruled the country for five years from 1996.

Sheikh Hasina along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, and cousin and former Health Minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim were made co-accused in the case.

Sheikh Selim was first brought to the Court at 9:40am from Dhaka central jail and Sheikh Hasina at 9:45am from the subjail in Parliament building complex.

Hundreds of AL leaders and workers were seen standing on the road leading to the Court while a number of the party leaders, including its Acting President Zillur Rahman were present as her counsels.

Meanwhile, Bdnews24.com yesterday reported that Sheikh Hasina has asked her party leaders to take part in the elections without her as she alleged that the verdict had already been designed.

"She (Hasina) asked acting Awami League chief Zillur Rahman and other leaders, who were present in the courtroom, to demand elections-more specifically by July," the news agency reported and quoted Sheikh Hasina as telling the AL leaders while on dock "Go for the elections without me."

However, this part of the report could not be confirmed from any authoritative source within the AL, who were present in the Court yesterday, and the BDnews24.com also did not attribute the source of the information.