HC hearing on Khaleda's pleas next month

The High Court yesterday adjourned until April the hearing on two           petitions of Khaleda Zia expressing no-confidence in a trial court              judge, who is dealing with Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases.

The HC bench led by Justice Md Rezaul Haque said the petitions would be included in its hearing list on April 1 or 2 after the court would reopen on April 1 following its upcoming annual vacation.

Both the divisions of the Supreme Court will be on the vacation from March 17. 

The HC bench of Justice Rezaul and Justice Md Khasruzzaman was expected to hold the hearing on the Khaleda's petitions yesterday.

But the hearing was adjourned as Justice Khasruzzaman was not present in the bench. Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty replaced Justice Khasruzzaman during yesterday's court proceedings.

The BNP chairperson filed the petitions on January 28 expressing apprehension that she would not get justice from Abu Ahmed Jamadar of the Special Judge Court-3 of Dhaka as he had not allowed her prayer for adjourning the case proceedings earlier.

In the petitions, Khaleda appealed to the HC to direct the government to transfer the cases to the court of another judge.

On February 25, the court of Abu Ahmed Jamadar issued warrants for the arrest of Khaleda, her son Tarique Rahman and another accused in the graft cases for not appearing before it on a given date.

On March 3, she included two prayers in the petitions, seeking a stay on the lower court order that issued the warrant for her arrest.

During yesterday's hearing, Khaleda's lawyer Zainul Abedin prayed to the court to fix a date for hearing the petitions.