Trial process delayed in Ishraque’s case as judge goes on holiday

Recording of testimonies in the case against Ishraque Hossain, son of late mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, for hiding information about his wealth from the authorities has been deferred as the judge is on holidays.

Ishraque, the BNP backed candidate who lost the recent city corporation election, appeared in court on Sunday, the first day of recording deposition on the case.

Acting Judge Abu Syed Diljar Hossain rescheduled the recording date on Mar 3, as Dhaka Special Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam went on holiday, said Ishraque’s lawyer Nuruzzaman Tapan.

On Jan 15, Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam issued an order to frame charges and begin trial of the case filed nine years ago. The court also scheduled Feb 9 as the date for recording testimonies.

The Anti-Corruption Commission had issued a notice to Ishraque and his sister Sarika Sadeque asking for their wealth statement on Sept 1, 2008.

The commission asked them to submit a wealth statement including movable, immovable assets owned by them, their dependents, or owned by their representatives, liabilities, loans and also stating the sources of their wealth by seven working days.

It filed two cases with the Ramna Police Station on Aug 29 and 30 in 2010 as Ishraque and Sarika failed to submit the statement. They filed a petition to the High Court challenging the ACC notice which was turned down.

The commission submitted the charge sheet against Ishraque on the case on Nov 25, 2018. The court scheduled May 5, 2019 as the day to consider the charge sheet but Ishraque did not show up in the court. An arrest warrant was issued against him.

He appealed for bail in advance to the High Court on Nov 25, 2019. He was ordered to surrender to the judicial court by four weeks. Accordingly, Ishraque surrendered on Dec 9 and appealed for bail which the court granted.