Niko graft case: Charge frame hearing on March 11

The court has fixed March 11 for the charge frame hearing in Niko graft case filed against BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and several others. Judge Mahmudul Kabir of the Special Court 9 fixed the date on Sunday. Confirming the matter, Khaleda Zia’s lawyer Sanaullah Mia said: “The BNP chief could not appear before the court due traffic jam caused by the ongoing SSC examination. "The court has granted us time and deferred the charge frame hearing.” On December 9, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the graft case with Tejgaon police station 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 prime minister. The other accused in the case are: former law minister Moudud Ahmed, 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 commission submitted the charge sheet against the accused in May, 2008.This article was first published on banglatribune.com