Khaleda again asked to appear before court on Oct 30

A Dhaka court yesterday again asked BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 10 others to appear before it on October 30 in connection with Barapukuria coalmine graft case.

Judge Hosne Ara Begum of the Special Judge's Court-2 passed the order after Khaleda's lawyer Sanaullah Mia submitted a petition seeking an adjournment of the case hearing.

The court also fixed the same date for hearing on charge framing against Khaleda and 10 others in the case.

Earlier, on July 24 last year, the same court asked Khaleda and 10 others to appear before it on August 10 the same year. Following the order, Khaleda appeared before the court on that date and got bail in the case.

But later she never appeared before the court, said lawyer Taherul Islam Tauhid.

In the yesterday's petition, Sanaullah Mia said their client Khaleda had earlier gone to London for treatment, adding that an adjournment for hearing was needed.

BNP leaders Khandker Mosharraf Hossain and AKM Mosharraf Hossain were present at the court while lawyers represented Khaleda and M Shamsul Islam in their absence.

BNP leaders MK Anwar and Aminul Haque were absent in the court. Five other people are also accused in the case.

The ACC accuses the former premier and 15 others of causing a loss of Tk 159 crores to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for operation of Barapukuria coalmine to a Chinese company between June 2003 and June 2005, abusing power.

On October 5 of 2008, the ACC pressed charges against Khaleda and 14 others in the case.

Of the accused, two accused died earlier while two Jamaat leaders were executed for their war crimes.

Earlier on May 28 this year, the Supreme Court cleared the way for running the trial proceedings against Khaleda.