Former Bangladesh prime minister Begum Hasina, under detention since last year, was taken ill during a court hearing on Thursday forcing suspension of proceedings, court officials said. Hasina, who was discharged recently from hospital after treatment for high blood pressure and ear and eye ailments, has been accused of accepting 30 million taka ($440,000) in kickbacks in a power plant deal. “She fell sick soon after the hearing started in presence of her lawyers, close relatives and a few senior party leaders,” a court official said, adding the hearing will resume next week. Bangladesh's military-backed interim administration has detained more than 170 top political figures including Hasina's rival and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia in a crackdown on corruption that it says it will complete before holding elections later this year. Hasina and Khaleda have denied any wrongdoing. Separately, a special court sentenced Nazmul Huda, who served as communication minister in Khaleda's cabinet, to 12 years in jail for amassing wealth worth 76.2 million taka ($1.1 million) illegally. The court also asked Huda to pay a fine of 10 million taka ($146,000) or face another year in jail. It acquitted his wife and human rights campaigner Sigma Huda of helping him accumulate the wealth. Both were arrested last year. __
