The New Nation - Internet Edition

Desk Report

A Dhaka court is set to deliver today a verdict on the corruption case over the waiver of loan against former president HM Erhsad, former state minister AKM Mosharraf Hossain and four others.

Dhaka divisional special judge Golam Mortuza Majumder on April 22 fixed the date for judgement after hearing arguments of the prosecution and defence attorneys.

Now-defunct Anticorruption Bureau official Golam Mortuza filed the case with Motijheel Police Station charging the six with waiving Tk 35 lakh loan Bangladesh Shilpa Bank had sanctioned to owner of Three Star Poultry Farm Jahangir Kabir and his wife Nurun Nahar Shelley on April 22, 1999.

Ershad, also chairman of Jatiya Party , former chairman of Shilpa Bank Mosharraf Hossain, former upazila chairman of Savar and Jatiya Party leader Feroz Kabir, Borhan Uddin, Feroz Kabir's brother and poultry farm owner Jahangir Kabir and Jahangir Kabir's wife the co-owner Nurun Nahar Shelley are facing trial.

Jahangir Kabir and his wife Nurun Nahar Shelley are absconding while the others have been bailed out.

Meanwhile, the recording of deposition in the corruption case over setting up of digital telephones in 89 upazilas against Ershad has been deferred to May 18 as the prosecution failed to present witnesses and evidence.

Anticorruption Bureau official Upendra Chandra Das filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on September 5, 1992 against six persons including Erhsad and former telecommunications minister Kazi Feroz Rashid.

Other accused in the case are fomer chairman of Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board Maksud Ali Khan, who is dead, former deputy general manager of BTTB Shamsul Islam (absconding), former manager of BTTB Anwarul Quader and Expo Trade owner Malik Majid Chowdhury.

Charges in the case were framed on May 7, 2003 and Feroz Rashid was exempted.