Indictment hearing in Khaleda’s Niko graft case January 19

A Dhaka court on Tuesday set January 19 to hold a 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 at the newly built courtroom in front of Keraniganj Central Jail.

Tuesday was fixed for holding hearing on charge framing in the case, but prime accused Begum Khaleda Zia failed to appear before the court on health grounds and made her lawyers to plead for time.

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Allowing the defence plea, the court then adjourned the hearing till January 19.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against five including Begum Khaleda Zia with Tejgaon police station on December 9 in 2007, for abusing power in signing a deal with Canadian company Niko for exploring and extracting gas.

The ACC on May 5 in 2008, submitted the charge-sheet against 11 including Khaleda Zia.

The ACC accused them of incurring a loss of more than Tk13,000 crore of state exchequer by that deal.