Orders on Khaleda pleas Sunday

The High Court will deliver orders on two writ petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging legality of appointment of the lower court judge who framed charges against her in two corruption cases.

The bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo on Tuesday fixed the date following two-day hearing.

Former attorney general AJ Mohammad Ali argued Khaleda’s case while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state at the hearing.

Khaleda filed the petitions on May 12 questiong Dhaka’s Special Judge Basudeb Roy, who indicted the former prime minister in ‘Zia Charity Trust’ and Zia Orphanage Trust’ cases.

The petitions sought order asking why the appointment of Roy without publishing any gazette would not be declared illegal and void.

The petitions also sought a stay order on the proceedings of the two cases.

After filing the writ petitions, Khaleda’s lawyer Md Asaduzzaman had said: “Judge Basudeb Roy was appointed to the special tribunal by an ordinary order. Appointment cannot be made this way -- appointment needs publication of gazette.”

Mohammad Ali said publication of a gazette was necessary to appoint a judge in any special court and to determine their jurisdiction.

The procedure had been ignored in case of Basudeb, he added.

“That’s why his appointment is illegal. The proceedings by him are not valid.”

The attorney general contended that Basudeb Roy was appointed through a gazette notification.

“But it was published in Bangladesh Gazette of BG Press later,” he said.