A Dhaka court has fixed January 21 for framing charges against BNP chief Khaleda Zia in the NIKO graft case.

Dhaka Special Judge-9 Sheikh Hafizur Rahman passed the order on Sunday (Jan 13).

The court set another date for charge framing as Defendants’ counsel Barrister Moudud Ahmed, who is also an accused in the case, failed to finish his hearing.  

Prime accused in the case, Khaleda was produced before the court which is temporarily set up at the old jail house premises at the capitals Nazimuddin Road.

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.