DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina got a clean sheet with the last one of 15 graft cases filed against her during the past BNP government and the immediate-past interim regime now gone on Sunday’s High Court orders.      

The High Court quashed the proceedings of the Bepza corruption case against Hasina—at a time when her government is doing away with ‘political harassment’ cases, mainly those pending against her party leaders and workers.

A division bench of Justice Shamsul Huda and Justice Abu Bakar Siddiqui gave the verdict following a petition filed by Hasina for quashing the case proceedings.

The court ended hearings on the petition on May 25.

The now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption had filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on December 11, 2001 against the Awami League chief, the then opposition leader, on charge of squandering Tk 2.1 crore from the national exchequer by appointing a lobbyist in the United States for Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza) when she was the premier in her previous term.

Following a petition filed by Hasina, the HC in 2002 stayed the proceedings of the case and also issued a rule upon the Bac to explain ‘why the proceedings of the case against her should not be quashed’.

The case was later shifted to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), after the watchdog body was reborn with sweeping powers to its elbow to chase high-profile graft suspects.

Following Sunday’s verdict, the prime minister has been cleared of charges in all the 15 cases against her since eight cases were quashed earlier while four withdrawn from the lower court and no charge sheet was submitted in two others.

Nine of the cases were filed during the BNP-led four-party alliance government while the rest six during the anti-graft crackdown kicked up by the military-backed caretaker government under state of emergency following the 1/11 changeover. All the cases were related to alleged bribery or extortion.   

Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh MP fought for the Prime Minister during hearings while Sayed Mizanur Rahman argued for the anti-corruption commission in the case.   

“All the cases were filed against Sheikh Hasina with ill motives to tarnish her image,” Taposh, a ruling-party lawmaker and nephew of Hasina, told banglanews24.com.bd.         

BDST: 1510 HRS, May 30, 2010

JA/MR/SMS/MUA