Dhaka: The High Court Thursday extended by three months its stay order on government notice directing opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia to vacate her leasehold cantonment residence.

With the latest extension of the hold, the effect of the notice has been stayed five times—thereby holding back the present government’s move to evict her from the house leased to the Zia family after the assassination of former president general Ziaur Rahman.

An HC bench of Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana and Justice Sheikh Hasan Arif passed the order upon a writ petition filed by Khaleda, also ex-PM, challenging the government notice.

Earlier on Wednesday, the court adjourned the hearing on the rule till July 6, said Khaleda’s lawyer TH Khan.

In response to Khaleda’s writ petition, the HC on May 27 last year had stayed for three months the proceedings of the government notice and issued a rule upon the government to explain why the notice ‘should not be declared illegal’.

BDST: 1426 pm, 10 June 2010
ZA/MRH/SMS/MUA