NIKO graft indictment deferred to Nov 5

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Bangla Tribune Report
Published : 12:38, Oct 14, 2019 | Updated : 12:39, Oct 14, 2019

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia. FOCUS BANGLAA court in Dhakahas deferred the indictment hearing of NIKO graft case against BNP chief Khaleda Zia and 10 others till Nov5.
Dhaka’s NinthSpecial Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman rescheduled the hearing on Monday (Oct 14) as police could not produce Khaleda before the court set up at the Dhaka Central Jail at Keraniganj, defense counsel Hannan Bhuiyan told Bangla Tribune.
In December 2007, the graft watchdog filed the case against Khaleda and 10 others for abusing power by awarding a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company, NIKO, during her time in office as prime minister.
They 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 include 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 17-year time for her involvement in the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases.

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