Court Correspondent
The Ninth Special Judge Court of Dhaka on Monday set February 17 for hearing on charge framing in the Niko graft case filed against BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and 10 others.Judge Mohammad Aminul Islam of the special court passed the order on Monday morning in response to a petition seeking time on behalf of Khaleda Zia. Her lawyers told newsmen that she remained absent because of illness.
Barrister Moudud Ahmed and six others, now on bail in the case, were present in the courtroom.
On December 9, 2007, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against five people, including Khaleda Zia, accusing them of causing loss of Tk 137.77 billlion to the national exchequer signing oil-gas exploration agreements with Canadian company Niko when she was the premier of the country between 2000 and 2006. Later, on May 5, 2008, the charge sheet of the case was submitted to the court against 11 people including Khaleda Zia.
