The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Supreme Court hears today a government appeal against the High Court judgment that declared illegal its sanction for trying ex-PM Sheikh Hasina in an extortion case under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR) and set aside the entire trial proceedings.

On February 6, the High Court, upon a writ petition filed by Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, had declared illegal the government sanction placing the extortion case against her for trial under the EPR and quashed the entire trial proceedings.

On February 26, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upon an application had granted the government leave-to-appeal against the HC ruling, fixing March 16 for its hearing.

The apex court at the same time had also stayed the operation of the High Court judgment and stalled the trial of the extortion case against detained Hasina under the EPR until the appeal is resolved.

Azam J Chowdhury, Managing Director of East Coast Trading Pvt. Ltd., filed the Tk 3-crore extortion case against Hasina and her detained cousin and ex-minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim on June 13 last year with Gulshan police station.

Hasina was arrested from her Dhanmondi house a month after filing of the case.

Later, her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, living in London, was also implicated in the case after police investigations.