March 31, 2008	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 22, 1429

DHAKA, March 30: Former prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina appeared before a graft court on Sunday soon after being released from hospital, officials said.

Her lawyers quoted her telling the court she was still sick, her treatment was incomplete and that she had been forced to appear before the court.

Hasina was admitted to the hospital on March 11 for ear and eye ailments. She was also suffering from high blood pressure following her arrest in July last year.

The court heard the graft charge in the presence of her lawyers, some party leaders and relatives, a court registrar said. She was then taken to a special prison nearby in Dhaka’s sprawling parliament compound.

The Anti-Corruption Commission had filed the charges with the court last month accusing Hasina of accepting Taka 30m in kickbacks in a power plant deal during her term in office.—Reuters