BNP chief Khaleda Zia is ‘unwilling’ to appear before the court for the hearing of Barapukuria coal mine graft case, said Jail authorities.

The indictment hearing of the case was scheduled to be held on Wednesday (Mar 13) where her counsel Masud Ahmed Talukder pleaded to reschedule it.

Dhaka Special Judge Court-2 Judge AHM Ruhul Imran, fixed Apr 9 for the indictment hearing against Khaleda and 15 others.
Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) counsel Mosharraf Hossain Kajol moved for the state.
The fifteen other accused in the case were also asked to appear before the court for the hearing.
A three-time premier, Khaleda and 15 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.
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.