DHAKA: A Dhaka court Wednesday fixed November 2 for taking statement of former President Hussein Mohammad Ershad on the charge of corruption in buying radar during his rule.

Acting Divisional Sessions Judge SM Aminul Islam fixed the date.

HM Ershad, the main accused of the case, Sultan Mahmud, former Air Force chief, and his assistant Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed were present before the court.

But the plaintiff, former official Haider Ali of the Anti-Corruption Commission, was not present to make his submission. So public prosecutor Shahin Ahmed Khan appealed for time.

The then Bureau of Anti-Corruption filed the corruption case on May 4,1992 and the charge-sheet of the case was submitted on October 27,1994 before the court.

Later, a charge was framed against the accused on August 12, 1995. But the trial proceedings of lower court had been stalled for a long time by order of the High Court.

It is alleged in the case that the accused persons, including Ershad, in collusion with one another bought radar that caused a loss of Tk 64,o4,42,918 to the exchequer and the money was “misappropriated”.
    
Advocate Serajul Islam Khan moved for the high-profile accused.

BDST: 1840 HRS, SEPTEMBER 22,2010