Hasina indicted in power plant case

Dhaka, May 18 (UNI) Charges were framed against detained Bangladesh former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today in the power plant graft case by a special court.

The court fixed May 21 for trial of the case and summoned complainant and other witnesses to appear before it on the scheduled date.

After closing arguments by both the prosecution and the defence lawyers on Thursday, Judge Firoz Alam of the First Special Court had fixed today for its ruling, Daily Star reported.

The special court set up took up the case on February 7 for hearing.

On January 10 Deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Commission Morshed Alam,(ACC) and the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet to Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka . In addition to the seven persons accused in the first information report (FIR) earlier, name of Bangabandhu Memorial Trust (BMT) curator Sayed Siddiqur Rahman was also included in the charge sheet.

The other accused were former energy secretary Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, former Power Development Board (PDB) chairman Noor Uddin Mahmud Kamal, Managing Director of Summit Industries and Mercantile Corporation Private Ltd Aziz Khan, Director Farid Khan, United Group Chairman Hasan Mahmud Raja and Director Abul Kalam Azad.

On September 2 last year, ACC Deputy Director Sabbir Hasan filed the case accusing former prime minister Hasina and six others of using their influence through mutual understanding in helping a foreign company and its local partners win a deal for setting up barge-mounted power plants in Haripur, Khulna and Shikalbaha, depriving the lowest bidder.

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