The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

A vacation bench of the High Court delivers its order on Monday upon a pending bail petition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which is crucial for her release and the course of country's pre-election politics.

Comprising Justice Sheik Rezowan Ali and Justice M Rais Uddin, the HC bench held back for five days its order after closing the hearings on the matter on September 24 in the face of vehement opposition from government side to her prayer for bail on health grounds.

The government attorney aired skepticism about Hasina's illness, stating that the Awami League chief makes political statements and attends political functions abroad while on parole for treatment.

"The government needs another medical certificate of her illness," Additional Attorney-General Mansur Habib had told the court on a note of skepticism.

This extortion case was filed by businessman Noor Ali, an AL nomination-seeker for the stalled January 22, 2007 general election, in the wake of a vortex in the political arena following the 1/11 changeover.

If Hasina, now in the United States on parole for treatment, wants release from incarceration on bail through legal process, she needs bail in two more graft cases apart from the pending one, said her one counsel.

The bail petitions for the two other cases involving Niko and Barge-mounted power-plant deals will be filed on Monday with another division bench.

Earlier on September 23, a 2-judge bench comprising Justice AKM Fazlur Rahman and Justice Skeikh Abdul Awal accepted the petitions for hearing, but returned the twin-bail prayers as the bench was devoid of jurisdiction to hear the matters.

Her Awami League party's main demand at the time is her permanent release for election preparation as well as negotiation for a political consensus for transition to democracy from the current interim regime.