BNP chief Khaleda Zia has appeared before the court for a hearing of NIKO graft case.
On Sunday (Jan 13), she was presented before the Special Judge Court-9 which is temporarily set up at the old jail house premises at the capital's Nazimuddin Road.
Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman has fixed Jan 21 for the next hearing.
On Dec 9, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the graft case with Tejgaon police station accusing Khaleda Zia and 10 others of abusing power by awarding a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko, during her time in office as prime minister.
The commission submitted the charge sheet against the accused on May 5, 2008.
The 11 people stand accused of causing the State a loss of Tk 137.77 billion in a non-transparent, corrupted contract with Niko during the BNP regime.
Others accused in the case are 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.
A three-time prime minister Khaleda is already serving a 10 year time for her involvement in the in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.