Khaleda ‘to skip’ Niko graft hearing tomorrow

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is unlikely to appear before a Dhaka court tomorrow which is set to hear the charge framing of Niko corruption case.

Sanaullah Miah, one of her lawyers, said she will not appear for personal grounds. However, AM Mahbubuddin Khokon, another lawyer, said she is ill.

Earlier on November 30, the court of Judge Md Aminul Islam of the Special Judge’s Court-9 set scheduled tomorrow to hear the charge framing of the graft case.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case in December 2007 over charges that Khaleda and several others abused power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko when she was PM between 2001 and 2006.

Former law minister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain, former acting energy secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam and Kashem Sharif, vice-president (South Asia) of Niko Resources Bangladesh Ltd, were also sued in the case.

The High Court on June 18 rejected a petition filed by Khaleda challenging the legality of the opening and proceeding of the case.

It also ordered the BNP chief to surrender before the trial court within two months after its verdict reaches the trial court.

Complying with the HC order, Khaleda on November 30 surrendered to a Dhaka court and secured bail in the case.