The court has ordered that the indictment hearing of BNP chief Khaleda Zia and 10 others in the Naiko graft case will resume on Feb 4.
Dhaka Special Court-9 Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman gave the orders on Monday (Jan 21) at the makeshift court at the premises of the old jailhouse at Nazimuddin Road after hearing the arguments.
BNP’s Standing Committee member, Moudud Ahmed, who is also an accused in the case moved for Khaleda while Mosharraf Hossain moved for Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).
On Dec 9, 2007, graft watchdog 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.