The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Detained former premier and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina Sunday said her party wouldn't participate in the next parliamentary elections without her, hinting at her release prior to the polls.

Talking to her lawyers in the courtroom, Hasina also stuck to her guns on the question of her retiring from politics, saying that she won't quit politics "under any pressure". She noted that it is the people and she herself are to decide whether she would be in politics or not.

"I'm being told to quit politics. I will not retire from politics. The people will decide whether I will remain in politics," she said, adding, 'In the past, I never bowed to anyone except Almighty Allah and I won't do so in future."

Hasina said the way people are being "persecuted", the question of her quitting politics does not arise.

About Gano Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain's remarks that those who call for movement for the release of the political leaders detained on corruption charges should also be brought to justice as sidekicks, the Awami League president questioned how this man could speak against corruption after "whitening Tk 102 crore".

"Where are the sources of that black money?' she was quoted by her lawyers as having said in a strong rebuttal.

The former Prime Minister mentioned that during her rule, people bought rice at Tk 10 per kg and edible oil at Tk 40 per litre. Now the price of rice has been raised to Tk 40 and edible oil to Tk 120. "Now people clearly understand who are the corrupt," she said. About the judiciary, Hasina said she had challenged the Anti-Corruption Commission notice asking her to submit the wealth statement and she won the legal battle through the High Court order that observed that the ACC notice was flawed.

Later, the ACC amended the law in compliance with the High Court order. But, she said, the Chief Justice overturned the High Court order by a ruling. She questioned if the ACC notice was not flawed, why it was amended for its operation.

"If this is called independence of the judiciary, how can I get evenhanded justice?" she questioned.

Earlier, the arraignment hearing on the Mig-29 purchase-deal case was again deferred to May 4 following the absence of an accused, former army chief Gen (retd) Mustafizur Rahman, owing to his illness. General Mustafiz, now on bail, is undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital in the city.

However, the other accused in the graft case appeared in the court of Dhaka Divisional Special Judge, relocated to the highly secured parliament complex.

The court resumed at 9:52 am, two minutes after Sheikh Hasina was produced today amid tight security.

As the court resumed, the Chief Special Public Prosecutor (CSPP) moved for starting the trial process, but the counsel for Gen (rtd) Mustafiz prayed for adjournment saying that his client is critically ill and undergoing treatment at hospital.

Opposing the defence counsel's submissions, the CSPP told the court it could proceed with the trial since the accused is represented by his lawyer.

This prompted the defence counsel for Hasina and others to pick up a legal debate as to whether or not charge hearing could take place in the absence of an accused.

After hearing both sides, Judge Golam Mortuza abruptly adjourned the hearing and set the date for charge framing on May 4. The five other charge-sheeted accused in the case, who are now enjoying bail, appeared in the court. They are former Air Force chief Air Marshal (retd) Jamal Uddin Ahmed, retired defence secretary Syed Yusuf Hossain, Air Commodore (retd) Mirza Akhtar Maruf, retired defence joint secretary Mohammad Hossain Serniabat and businessman Noor Ali.

Eight Russian-made Mig-29 fighter planes were procured for Bangladesh Air Force when Hasina was the Prime Minister (1996-2001). According to the case filed with Tejgaon Police Station, the purchase of the supersonic jets during the tenure of the Awami League government caused a loss of Tk 700 crore to the public exchequer. Shortly after the BNP-led four-party alliance came to power, the now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption filed the Mig-scam case against Hasina and others in December 2001.