Charge framing hearing on July 13

A Dhaka court yesterday set July 13 for hearing on charge framing in the Barapukuria coalmine graft case filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and six others.

Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Judge's Court-2 of Dhaka passed the order after a petition was filed with the court on behalf of Khaleda, Zaynal Abedin Meshbah, one of her lawyers, told The Daily Star.

In the petition, Meshbah said Khaleda, who is now out of jail after an executive order of the government, is unwell and she was taking treatment at her Gulshan residence. So, the hearing should be adjourned, he said.

On February 26, 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station, accusing 16 people, including Khaleda and 10 of her former cabinet colleagues, of taking Tk 159 crore in kickbacks on the Barapukuria coalmine deal awarded to the highest bidder.

The seven accused, including former ministers M Saifur Rahman and Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan died during the trial, while Jamaat leaders Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid and Motiur Rahman Nizami were executed on charges of committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.

So, the nine were dropped from the trial.