DHAKA, March 19, 2019 (BSS) – A Dhaka court today set April 1 to hold hearing on charge framing in Niko graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and others.
Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka 9th special judge court passed the order, setting new date to hold hearing on charge framing.
The court had to reset the date as the defence like many previous occasions, pleaded for time. At the start of today’s hearing, one of the accused Moudud Ahmed’s counsel Taherul Islam Touhid pleaded for time, saying his client is in Germany for treatment.
After that Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) counsel Mosharraf Hossain Kazal pleaded to hold hearing on charge framing against Khaleda.
Khaleda Zia’s counsel Masud Ahmed Talukder at this stage they have filed two petitions, one for time and another for order to supply them case documents.
“Hearing on charge framing in this case is going on for long four years. You have not filed any plea seeking acquittal of Khaleda Zia,” the court said in displeasure.
The court then adjourned the hearing till April 1, saying it would pass order if the defence failed to hold hearing on charge framing on that day.
The jail authorities produced Khaleda Zia on wheelchair before the court at around 12.35 pm. She was taken back to jail at around 1.15 pm. Khaleda Zia was seen talking to her party’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir before start of the hearing.
The ACC filed the case against five including Khaleda with Tejgaon police station on December 9, 2007, for abusing power in signing a deal with Canadian company Niko for exploring and extracting gas.
The ACC on May 5, 2008, submitted charge-sheet against 11 people including Khaleda Zia.
Accepting a petition filed by Khaleda, the HC on July 9, 2008, stayed the case proceedings and issued the rule.
The High Court on June 18, 2015, passed an order paving way for continuation of the graft case against the BNP leader before the trial court. The court had also asked the BNP chief to surrender before the concerned trial court within two months.
Khaleda is now behind bars after getting convicted in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on February 8, 2018. She was sentenced to five-year imprisonment, which later enhanced to 10 by the High Court.
Khaleda was also sentenced to seven years imprisonment in Zia Charitable Trust graft case.