Hasina's MiG-29 case hearing deferred till June 26

Dhaka, Jun 19 (UNI) A special anti-corruption court hearing petitions pertaining to Mig-29 purchase scam against Bangladesh former prime minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today deferred the charge framing till June 26.

The deferment of the case of the former premier and six others came as defence counsels appealed for time before the court of Judge Golam Mortuza Majumder of the Special Court for Dhaka Division, Daily Star reported.

Ms Hasina did not appear before the court, as she was exempted on June 9 this year from personal appearance in the court during the trial procedures of the cases filed against her.

Advocate Sahara Khatun today represented her in the court.

Hasina's other co-accused in the case are former army chief Gen (retd) Mustafizur Rahman, now on bail, former air force chief Jamaluddin Ahmed, former defence secretary Syed Yusuf Hossain, Air Commodore (retd) Mirza Akhter Maruf, former joint secretary Mohammad Hossain Serniabat and Unique Group Managing Director Nur Ali.

On December 11, 2001, the now defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption (Bac) filed the case against Hasina and four others with the Tejgaon Police Station accusing them of causing a loss of Tk 700 crore to the public exchequer, purchasing eight MiG-29 fighter jets while Hasina was in power as prime minister.

Yesterday, a Bangladesh special court hearing petitions pertaining to power plant graft case against Ms Hasina had adjourned the charge-framing hearing till July 1. She is already out on parole since June 11.

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