A
High Court bench Tuesday revoked its previous orders that halted the
proceedings of an extortion case filed in 2007 by businessman Azam J Chowdhury
against Sheikh Hasina, in what could be seen as a first step towards withdrawal
of the case itself.
The bench of justices ABM Khairul Haque and Md Mamtaj Uddin Ahmed made the
orders on a petition filed by the prime minister. A lawyer for Hasina said the
step was necessary to process her petition to withdraw the case.
Azam Chowdhury has maintained he did not want to sue Hasina and indicated he
was forced to sign the case documents under pressure from certain quarters in
the military-installed caretaker government.
The High Court on Sept 16 last year granted Hasina bail and froze the
proceedings of the case.
Barrister Rafiq-ul-Huq represented Hasina in the hearing while barrister Sheikh
Fazle Nur Taposh assisted him.