Raushan for Ershad’s case withdrawal

Raushan Ershad, leader of the opposition in parliament, today said she would do whatever necessary to withdraw the case lodged against her husband HM Ershad.

“I had urged the prime minister hundred times to withdraw the case and she promised that she would take necessary measures,” Raushan said at a programme in Dhaka.

The opposition leader also said the first condition of JAPA’s participation in election was withdrawal of the case against party chairman Ershad in connection with radar purchase, but Awami League is yet to keep the promise.

“I will raise my voice on the matter in parliament again,” Raushan also the party’s co-chairman assured her party men who chanted slogans demanding withdrawal of the case against their party chief.

JAPA organised its joint meeting at the Institution of Diploma Engineers’ in Dhaka this afternoon.

The High Court on November 24 directed the trial court to finish the trial proceedings of 24-year-old radar purchase scam case against Ershad and three others by March 31 next year.

The HC said the lower court concerned can record statements of the case's rest 26 prosecution witnesses if they are produced by this period.

The now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption filed the case with cantonment police on May 4, 1992.

Ershad in collusion with others allegedly caused a loss of Tk 64.04 crore to the state exchequer by purchasing radars from the US instead of France for the air force while he was in power, according to the case statement.

On August 12, 1995, the trial court framed charges against Ershad, former air chiefs Sultan Mahmud and Mamtazuddin Ahmed, and director of United Traders Ltd AKM Musa.