Dhaka, Aug 20: A Dhaka court Thursday set September 17 for holding hearing on charge framing in Barapukuria Coal Mine graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and others. Judge AHM Ruhul Imran of Dhaka Special Judge Court-2 passed the order, accepting a time plea from the main accused – Begum Khaleda Zia.
The ACC on February 26, 2008, filed the graft case against Khaleda Zia and 15 others with Shahbagh police station.
They were accused of causing a loss of Taka 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for the operation of Barapukuria Coalmine to a Chinese company through abuse of power.
Of the 16, six have already died and their names are expected to be dropped from the case during the framing of the charges.
