By NNN-PTI
Dhaka : The Bangladesh parliament building, reputed for its aesthetic and architectural value, has been refurbished to house makeshift courts to try high-profile corruption suspects, including dozens of former ministers, officials said today.
A senior official of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) said the courts were expected to start proceedings in five cases against three former state ministers and their family members.
Authorities in Bangladesh earlier turned the Parliament building into makeshift court with minor internal restructuring to instal judges’ tables, docks for accused and seating arrangements for lawyers and others concerned.
The law ministry last month appointed five judges to try corruption suspects in Dhaka and neighbouring districts.
Police said they had deployed additional security to guard the building.
The military-backed interim administration has so far grilled more than 60 influential politicians and businessmen including ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s elder son Tarique Rahman, who is the senior joint secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
ACC officials have so far chargesheeted five political bigwigs while police and ACC investigations were underway to collect evidence against others as part of the massive countrywide anti-graft campaign launched by the interim government since it was installed on January 11.
Former Planning Minister in Awami League government, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, the former BNP government’s state minister for aviation Mir Nasiruddin and former state labour minister Amanullah Khan are likely to face trial first.