The New Nation - Internet Edition

bdnews24.com, Dhaka

State and defence lawyers trashed a report by prison authorities on Sheikh Hasina's health condition that was submitted to court Sunday.

The Dhaka court deferred to March 30 the proceedings of the graft case against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina involving the setting up of three barge-mounted power plants.

Judge Md Feroz Alam of the Special Judges' Court-1, set up at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises, also ordered the authorities to produce Hasina before the court on March 30.

Former power secretary Toufique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, co-accused in the case, was in the dock Sunday. Six other accused in the case are on the run.

Hasina was not produced before the court Sunday "because of her own reluctance though the condition of her health was fine", the prison authorities said in a report submitted to the court. Hasina's lawyers however trashed the report and termed it false and baseless.

Hasina's lawyer Adv Syed Rezaur Rahman said the Awami League president was not produced before the court because of her deteriorating health condition.

"No relative or lawyer has been allowed to meet Hasina for 13 days. In this situation, we are worried over her wellbeing," another lawyer said.

The report of the prison authorities said Hasina was being provided with the treatment her health condition demanded since the day she was arrested.

"It is an important responsibility of the jail authorities to ensure healthcare of any prisoner," the report said.

It added that Hasina was admitted to Square Hospital on March 11 to ensure proper treatment as advised by her private doctors.

Another of Hasina's lawyers Abdul Mannan Khan countered in court: "We don't believe that Sheikh Hasina was unwilling to appear before court."

"We are worried over the safety of her life. Those who could not kill her by the August 21 grenade attack, they are now plotting to kill her," the lawyer alleged.

Khan also claimed the deputy inspector general of prisons wrote his report on his own, with false pretences.

"If Sheikh Hasina was fine, she would have been returned to the special jail, instead of being kept in hospital."

The judge cautioned the defense lawyers over their comments in court. "You are both politicians and lawyers, I understand."

"But when you are in court, you will use the language of court. There is no scope for making political speeches here."

State's counsel Syed Shamim Ahsan Habib was earlier designated to read out the report of the prison authorities before the court.

However, Habib later requested the court to take action against the jail authorities as they had failed to produce Hasina before the court as scheduled.

On March 17, the judge ordered prison authorities to appraise the court of Hasina's overall condition.

The court had adjourned the hearing on that date to March 23 due to Hasina's absence.

The Anticorruption Commission filed the graft case with Tejgaon police on Sept 2, 2007, naming eight people including Hasina.

The anti-graft body accused Hasina and the others of being variously involved in the exchange of Tk 3 crore in bribes, from Wartsila Power Development Limited Consortium's local representative and Summit Group and United Group representatives, for awarding contracts to set up three barge-mounted power plants in Khulna, Shikalbaha and Haripur.

The ACC also accused Hasina of receiving a large part of the bribe money in the name of the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust during her term as prime minister.

The detained former prime minister was admitted to Square Hospital on March 11, while a number of specialist doctors have advised that she should be sent abroad for appropriate medical treatment.