Writ petition challenging government action against ex-PM Hasina

Dhaka, July 29 (UNI) The legality of tagging the extortion case against Bangladeshi's detained former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the Emergency Power Rules was challenged in the High Court today.

A writ petition challenging the government action was filed with the High Court by some Supreme Court lawyers who have put the legal battle on Hasina's behalf.

The petition is likely to be heard tomorrow.

In the petition, Hasina asked for issuance of a rule asking the government to explain why the approval for trial of the extortion case filed against her under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR) should not be declared "without lawful authority".

Awami League president Hasina, confined in a sub-jail, in her petition also sought an order of stay on the proceedings of the case, now pending with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court here.

She further asked for granting her bail.

Hasina submitted, in the changed political situation with the imposition of the state of emergency on January 11, she was arrested on July 16 by the army-led joint forces from her Dhanmondi residence.

"I have been targeted by a powerful vested-interest quarter within the present caretaker government to destroy my political career as well as Awami League, one of the largest political parties of Bangladesh, out of political design and vengeance," she alleged.

The beleaguered Hasina said the First Information Report (FIR) in the case was filed on June 13, 2007, but with "malafide intention", the case was tagged to the EPR in the name of public interest on July 16,2007.

"Inclusion of such a less important case, lodged by one individual against another individual, under the EPR after the expiration of the period laid down in the amended rule clearly shows that the government is adamant to detain me by any means, curtailing my scope of obtaining a bail from the court," Hasina said.

She added the government action of approving the case filed against her by an individual under the EPR manifestly stands against the principle of "equality, equity and fair justice" of our constitution, since it does not reveal under what consideration the approval was given in the case.

On June 13, Azam J Chowdhury, managing director of East Coast Trading (Pvt) Limited, filed the case against Hasina and her detained cousin former health minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim on charges of extortion of about 3 crore takas.

On July 24, police submitted the charge sheet to the CMM court against Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, who resides in London, and her cousin Selim in the extortion case. The court set August 16 for charge hearing of the case.

UNI