Dhaka: Dhaka High Court on Thursday imposed a
gag order on media coverage on court proceedings in connection
with the hearing on a petition seeking to quash a graft charge
against opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia and her elder son
Tarique Rahman.
Lawyers familiar with the situation preferring
anonymity said a two-member vacation bench of the High Court
passed the order following arguments and counter arguments
between judges AFM Abdur Rahman and Rezaul Hasan and Attorney
General Mahbubey Alam on the petition.
The court, however, refrained from giving any decision
on the petition while the lawyers said the matter was now
likely to be referred to the chief justice, who might sent it
to another bench for hearing as Zia`s lawyers reportedly took
back the petition.
Attorney General and Zia`s main counsel Raqfiq-ul
Haque, however, declined to comment on the court order
regarding the order on preventing media from covering it.
The development came as a Dhaka court last week
accepted the graft charge against the former prime minister as
she appeared in person before the trial judge Bashirullah.
Bashirullah set October 25 for indictment hearing
against Zia and five other defendants including Tarique Rahman
for embezzling over Taka 2.10 crore for an orphanage trust,
"which exists only in papers".
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) last month
pressed a fresh charge against Zia and her elder son.
Bureau Report
