Hearings of two separate appeals by detained former prime minister and AL chief Sheikh Hasina for quashing two graft cases against her in connection with purchases of a frigate and Mig-29 fighter aircraft will be held today as the High Court yesterday adjourned the hearings for a day following a prayer from Hasina's counsel.

Hearing of Hasina's another appeal for quashing a graft case against her in connection with setting up Meghnaghat power plant will also be held today, the schedule of which was made much earlier.

Barrister Shafique Ahmed, the new counsel of Hasina, filed a prayer seeking a week to prepare himself for the appeal hearings in connection with the frigate and Mig 29 cases, but the court scheduled today as the date for the hearings.

A High Court bench comprised of two judges, Nazrul Islam Chowdhury and Ataur Rahman, adjourned the hearings following the appeal from Shafique.

Earlier, former counsel of Hasina in the cases Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud withdrew himself from the cases and sent back the case files to his client, prompting the former premier to appoint Shafique as her new counsel.

Shafique said in the court that he had been appointed as the new counsel in the cases and a week is required for him to be prepared for the hearings.

The court turned down his request saying a week had been taken earlier by the former counsel of the defendant showing the same cause.

Deputy attorney general of the prosecution, Abdur Rouf Miah, however said a day could be allowed.

The court finally deferred the hearings for a day. An officer of the now defunct Bureau of Anti-corruption, Abdullah Al Zahid, filed a case on December 11, 2001 with Tejgaon police station accusing five including Sheikh Hasina of corruption in purchasing eight Mig-29s. The complainant in the first information report said Hasina during the regime under her premiership in 1999 bought eight Mig-29s causing a loss of about Tk 700 crore for the state.

The charge sheet in the case was submitted against seven persons on January 29, 2003. The High Court stayed the proceedings of the case after Hasina had appealed for quashing the case the same year.

Another Bureau of Anticorruption official, Joynul Abedin, filed another case with Tejgaon police station on August 7, 2002 accusing five including Hasina in connection with graft in purchasing a frigate. The complainant brought an allegation that the accused caused a loss of Tk 447 crore for the state in the purchase.

The charge sheet in the case was submitted on August 3, 2003. The High Court stayed the proceedings of this case also as Hasina had appealed for quashing the case the same year.