Dhaka, Sept 23 – The Special Judge Court-2 of Dhaka yesterday fixed October 25 for hearing on charge framing in Barapukuria Coalmine graft case filed against BNP Chief Khaleda Zia and 9 others. Judge AHM Ruhul Imran of the special judge’s court set up in Bakshibazar area of the Old Dhaka city passed the order after hearing on Sunday.
Lawyers of two accused of the case- Altaf Hossain Choudhury and Barrister Md Aminul Haque sought time informing the court that the High Court Division stayed the case.
A total of 13 persons have been made accused in the charge-sheet of the case. However, Jamaat leader Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed were executed for their crimes against humanity. Former agriculture minister MK Anwar, who is also an accused, died.
The other accused are former acting secretary to the energy and mineral resources ministry Nazrul Islam, former Petrobangla Director Mainul Ahsan, Md Sirajul Islam Chowdhury and Hosaf Group Chairman Moazzem Hossain, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Altaf Hossain Choudhury, Md Aminul Haque and AKM Mosharraf Hossain. Another accused M Shamsul Islam also died.
On February 26, 2008, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) assistant director Md Shamsul Alom filed the case with Shahbag Police Station.
The case reported a loss of about Tk158 crore from the national exchequer while handing the production and management in the coal mine. – Special Correspondent
