The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court Sunday ordered the caretaker government to restrain until October 20 its cops from arresting or harassing ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in any manner.

An HC vacation division bench comprising Justice M Anwarul Haque and Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury passed the orders following separate petitions filed for Hasina seeking bail in Niko and Barge-mounted power plant graft cases.

The Awami League president, now abroad for better treatment of her ears and eyes, had been on parole for eight weeks since June 11 following an executive order. Later, the government extended her parole which also expires today (September 6), before her return from America.

However, her counsel barrister Shafique Ahmed told UNB that Law Adviser AF Hassan Ariff had informed him that the parole was extended On Sunday by another month.

Hasina, who faces 15 cases, flew to the USA on June 12 following a

thaw in the standoff between the interim regime and the politicians.

She was arrested by the joint forces on July 16 last year amid a crackdown on the political arena following the January 11, 2007 changeover.

Emerging from the court, Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, the principal counsel for Hasina, declined to give any reaction-whether he is happy or disappointed-over the HC rulings as he fought for his client' s bail without avail.

Meanwhile, court sources said, the pending rule hearings on the Niko and Barge-mounted power-plant graft cases against Hasina will resume on October 14 in the High Court.

On July 7, the High Court, following separate writ petitions filed by Hasina, stayed the proceedings of both the cases. It had also issued separate rules asking the government and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to explain why the two cases "should not be quashed".

Both the cases are now pending with the special courts set up at the parliament complex that deals with high-profile corruption cases following the 1/11 change of guards in state power.

The Niko scam case awaits charge hearing and the Barge-mounted one is in the phase of cross-examination of the prosecution witnesses by the defence counsel.

On September 2 last year, the ACC filed the Barge-mounted power-plant case with Tejgaon police station against Hasina and several others, amid the crackdown on former ruling politicians.

It complained that the ex-PM and other accused through mutual understanding and use of influence had helped a foreign company and its local partners win a deal for setting up a 100MW barge-mounted power plant in Khulna, depriving the lowest bidder.

The ACC filed the Niko scam case on December 9 last year with Tejgaon police station. According to the charge sheet, the accused in collusion with one another awarded gas-extraction work in Chhatak, Kamta and Feni gas fields to Niko Resources Ltd., a Canadian company, "to gain personal financial benefit that caused a loss of Tk 13,630.50 crore to the state exchequer".