Upholding a High Court order, the Appellate Division Sunday stayed for eight weeks the trial proceedings against BNP leader Moudud Ahmed in Niko corruption case.
A four-member apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission challenging the High Court stay order.
The bench also directed the High Court to hear and dispose off by January 19 a rule issued on December 1.
A trial court is set to start hearing on charge framing in the case on Thursday. BNP chief Khaleda Zia and 10 others are accused in the case.
On December 1, the High Court stayed the trial proceedings against Moudud for eight weeks. It also issued a rule asking the ACC and the government to explain as to why the trial proceedings against Moudud should not be scrapped.
On December 9, 2007, the ACC filed the case with Tejgaon police, accusing Khaleda and several others of abusing power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko during her time in office as the prime minister.
The other accused in the case include former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain, former acting energy secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam and Kashem Sharif, vice-president (South Asia) of Niko Resources Bangladesh Ltd.
The ACC pressed charges against Khaleda and 10 others in May 2008.
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
