Hearing of Khaleda's challenges adjourned again till May 6

The High Court yesterday adjourned for six more days the hearing on two seven-year-old writ petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the legality of Niko and Gatco corruption cases. It fixed May 6 for resuming the hearing.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Niko case on December 9, 2007, accusing Khaleda and four others of abusing power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko during BNP-led government's tenure.

The Gatco graft case was filed by the ACC against the BNP chief and 12 others on September 2, 2007 on charges of corruption in awarding Global Agro Trade (Pvt) Co Ltd (Gatco) a contract for container management at inland container depots in Dhaka and Chittagong.

Following the writ petitions filed in July 2008, the HC stayed the proceedings of the cases and issued a rule upon the government and the ACC to explain why the case proceedings should not be declared illegal.