Hasina trail

Defence lawyers continued their cross examination of the first prosecution witness Thursday in trial proceedings against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, reports bdnews24.com.

The lawyers questioned Anticorruption Commission deputy director MM Shabbir Hassan for two hours in the barge-mounted power plant case; the cross examination will continue on May 25.

The detained former prime minister and Awami League president was taken to court around 10 am.

The Special Judge's Court, set up on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises and presided over by special judge Feroz Ahmed, began recording the first of the witness testimonies Wednesday.

Charge framing against Hasina and other accused in the case was concluded on May 18.

The Anticorruption Commission filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on Sept 2, 2007, against eight people including Sheikh Hasina.

According to the case details, the Power Development Board floated international tenders on Oct 24, 1996, for installation of three barge-mounted plants in Haripur, Shikalbaha and Khulna.

During Sheikh Hasina's tenure as prime minister, two private firms—Summit Group and United Group—were allegedly awarded the contracts through irregular means during the period Oct 24, 1996 to Nov 24, 1997, depriving the lowest bidders.

The AL president is also accused of accepting a house in Dhanmondi and a plot of land registered in the name of the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust from the Summit and United Groups in exchange for the contracts.

Hasina was shown arrested in the case on Sept 19 last year, while former power secretary Toufique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, also accused in the case, surrendered to the court on Jan 16.

The former prime minister was arrested from her Dhanmondi residence on July 16.