The trial of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Niko graft case will continue as the High Court rejected her petition that was filed challenging the legality of the case proceedings.
The bench of Justice Md Nuruzzaman and Justice Jafar Ahmed passed the order on Thursday afternoon.
The court also ordered the BNP chief to surrender before the lower court within two months after the release of the order.
The court also ordered the lower court to grant Khaleda's bail plea.
On April 2, the petition was filed seeking the court decision on whether or not the proceedings would continue in the Niko graft trial against Khaleda Zia.
On December 9, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission 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 the prime minister.
The other accused in the case were 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 charge sheet in the case was submitted by the ACC in May 2008 against Khaleda and 10 others. Later in July, the High Court stayed the case and directed the ACC and the government to explain why the initiation and proceedings of the case should not be declared illegal.
Recently this year, the ACC again moved to revive the Niko corruption case and a new High Court bench was assigned to dispose of it.
On May 28 this year, the hearing was concluded and the court kept the verdict waiting.
