Barapukuria coalmine graft: Indictment hearing deferred to Jan 15

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Bangla Tribune Report
Published : 15:55, Nov 12, 2019 | Updated : 15:59, Nov 12, 2019

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Begum Khaleda Zia. REUTERS/File PhotoA Dhaka court has deferred the indictment hearing against BNP chief Khaleda Zia and 15 others in the Barapukuria coal mine graft case.
Magistrate AHM Ruhul Imran of the special makeshift court in the Keraniganj prison premises gave the order on Tuesday (Nov 12).
The hearing was deferred as Khaleda couldn’t be produced in court on account of being hospitalised, defense counsel Hannan Bhuiyan told Bangla Tribune.
A three-time premier, Khaleda and 16 others stand accused of causing the state a loss of nearly Tk 1.59 billion by signing a deal with the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) to operate, manage, and maintain the Barapukuria coal mine.
Of the accused, six have died, and their names are expected to be dropped from the case when the charges are framed.
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) started the case in 2008, during the emergency regime of the military-backed caretaker administration.
The graft watchdog pressed charges against them in court in October the same year.

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