The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A special court yesterday once again deferred the charge hearing on the barge-mounted power plant graft case against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Sunday.

This is for the third time the court deferred the charge-hearing on the case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Judge M Firoz Alam of the Special Judge Court-I, housed at MP Hostel of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban Complex, passed the order following a time petition moved by the counsel for Awami League president Hasina, as they could not fully examine the seized documents in the case for preparing the discharge petition.

"The charge-hearing on the barge-mounted graft case will take place on March 9," the judge told the defence lawyers.

"It is the last opportunity. No further plea for deferring the charge hearing will be allowed," the judge further told them and left the court room at about 10:08am.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina was brought to the courtroom from the Special Sub-Jail at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban Complex in the morning.

After the hearing was over, Hasina talked to ten defence lawyers and realatives for 30 minutes taking permission of the court. At that time, Hasina expressed her resentment over her treatment.

On September 2 last year, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case. It complained that the ex-PM and other accused through mutual understanding and use of influence helped a foreign company and its local partners win a deal for setting up a barge-mounted 100MW power plant in Khulna, depriving the lowest bidder.