Niko cases filed to implement ‘minus two’ formula
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's lawyer AJ Mohammad Ali yesterday told the High Court that the Niko cases were filed in order to implement the "minus two" theory.
The "minus two" formula had aimed to exclude Awami League President and now Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia from politics during the last military-backed caretaker government.
"Two separate cases were filed in 2007 against Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia over an unsolicited offer from Canadian company Niko. The High Court has quashed the proceedings of the case against Sheikh Hasina and no appeal was filed against its verdict. The case against Khaleda Zia, however, is still running," advocate AJ Mohammad Ali said.
The lawyer said this before the HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu yesterday during hearing of a petition filed by Khaleda. The petition challenged the legality of the trial court order that allowed the investigation officer and prosecution witness of the case to place deposition on seeing the first information report.
In the petition, Khaleda said the trial court order is a direct violation of section 159 of the Evidence Act and prayed to the HC to stay the trial proceedings of the case against her.
The HC bench fixed 2:00pm today for resuming the hearing.
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