The High Court yesterday ordered stay of all further proceedings of the Bangabandhu murder ease for four weeks.

The division bench of the HC comprising Justice Mahmudul Amin Chowdhury and Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominoor Rahman passed the stay order upon a criminal revision petition of Zobaida Rashid, one of those charged with tire murder of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mu-jibur Rahman and others.

The petition was filed challenging the charge framed by the Session Judge. Dhaka against Zobaida Rashid on April 7.

The court also Issued a rule directing the government to show cause within two weeks as to why the murder charge against Zobaida Rashid should not be set aside.

The court while Issuing the nite directed the defence counsel to supply the annexed documents to the prosecution side within seven days.

“The grounds of the charges framed against Zobaida Rashid are baseless and unfounded", argued Advocate Mahbubur Rahman, Counsel for the accused-petitioner.

The defence counsel submit ted that there was no material to frame charges against his client in this case.

He further submitted that out of 74 prosecution witnesses only three witnesses mentioned in their statements made to the police under section 161 of the CrPC about the presence of Zobaida Rashid at Bangabha-ban in the oath taking ceremony of Khondker Mushtaque

Ahmed, which did not constitute any offence of murder

In this regard, he also mentioned that those three witnesses were beneficiaries and also expressed allegiance to the government of Khondker Mush-taque Ahmed and now they belong to Awami League, the present ruling party.

Discarding the defence agreement. Additional Attorney General Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan on behalf of the government submitted that sufficient materials appeared in the documents and the evidences to frame charges against accused Zobalda Rashid.

"The charge has been duly framed on the basis of specific materials which can be prima facie proving her involvement in the conspiracy of the murder.'1 the state counsel submitted.

He submitted. "The High Court should not interfere in the trial of such a sensitive murder of the founding President of the country."

The same bench of the HC earlier granted bail to Zobalda Rashid which was subsequently affirmed by the Appellate Division of the Supreme.

Zobalda Rashid in the wife of Col (rtd) Khandker Abdur Rashid, one of the accused In the case who has been absconding.