The hearing on a seven-day remand prayer to interrogate controversial businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun in connection with an extortion case will be held on Wednesday in his presence.

Besides, the High Court granted anticipatory bail for three months to former minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf along with three others and ex-BNP lawmaker Nazimuddin Alam and a dozen others in separate criminal cases.

NASIM CASE
Judge Malik Abdullah Al Amin of the Special Court for Dhaka Division yesterday felt embarrassed to conduct trial of the graft case against Nasim and AHS Rahman, director of Consosietes Limited, filed five years back.

The court also sent the case to the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court saying he could not dispose of the case.

After receiving the case file, Judge Mohammad Azizul Haq of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court too sent the case to the Third Special Court-- set up at Shere-e-Bangla MP Hostel-- for its quick disposal.

However, it could not be ascertained immediately what caused embarrassment to the judge.

Nasim was produced before the court at 11:30am under tight security while Rahman was absent due to illness.

Mohammad Abdul Hai, an official of now defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption, pressed charges against the accused on June 13, 2002.

Following the submission of charge sheet, Nasim and Rahman submitted separate criminal miscellaneous petitions to the High Court challenging the legality of the proceedings of the case.

The higher court had earlier rejected their petitions saying the charges brought against them would be proceeded with.

In the case filed with Ramna Police Station, the complainant said in order to 'illegally award' a contract to the WorldTel to install three lakh telephones, Nasim had appointed a private firm, Consosietes Ltd, without any competitive bidding.

The firm made 'fictitious' recommendations for the WorldTel, lone bidder of the project, to 'make its financial proposal look lucrative', according to the first information report (FIR).

"Although there was no fund for appointment of a consultant, Nasim appointed Consosietes and made the WorldTel pay the fee. So, while Consosietes was on the payroll of WorldTel, it was also given the task to evaluate the latter's financial proposal."

The matter has harmed the country's interest, said the FIR.

MANJU CASE
Judge Syed Jahed Mansur of the Ninth Assistant Sessions Judge's Court, Dhaka yesterday issued an arrest warrant against Manju in a case filed for possessing contraband liquors in his residence.

The court also framed charges against Manju in his absence and fixed Thursday for trial of the case.

Earlier, the same court had asked Manju to appear before the court to defend himself but he failed to oblige the court order. So, the bail was cancelled, the court said.

On May 14, Dhanmondi police pressed charges against Manju in the case.

Sub-Inspector Amirul Islam, who is also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate showing 12 people as prosecution witnesses.

On March 8, joint forces raided Manju's Dhanmondi residence and seized 21 bottles of contraband liquor. Later, a case under the Narcotics Control Act was filed against him with Dhanmondi Police Station.

Following the case, Manju obtained bail from the High Court.

MAMUN CASE
The hearing on a seven-day remand prayer to interrogate Mamun, close friend of BNP Senior Secretary General Tarique Rahman, will be held on Wednesday in a case filed for extorting Tk 8.40crore from a businessman.

The court passed the order following a prayer submitted by Gulshan police for taking Mamun on remand.

2 EX-MPS GET ANTICIPATORY BAIL
UNB says: The High Court yesterday granted anticipatory bail for three months to former minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf along with three others and ex-BNP lawmaker Nazimuddin Alam and a dozen others in separate criminal cases.

All the accused got bail as they surrendered to the court and sought bail in separate petitions, court sources said.

Passing the interim bail orders, a High Court division bench comprising Justice SK Sinha and Justice Mamnoon Rahman issued a rule upon the government to explain why the accused should not be granted regular bail.

On May 31, the district judge's court in Faridpur, after hearing a complaint case, issued arrest warrant against Kamal Yusuf and four others, accusing them of demolishing eight shops at Goalchamot in the town on February 16, 2002 by "abuse of power".

Nazimuddin Alam and 12 other BNP activists are facing an attempt-to-murder case. Former Bhola municipality commissioner Akhtarul Alam Samu filed the case with a cognizance court accusing Alam and his 12 associates of attempting to kill him.