Niko charge framing hearing deferred

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia. File Photo
Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia. File Photo

A Dhaka court on Sunday deferred the hearing until 25 June on charge framing against Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia in Niko graft case on health ground.

Judge Mahmudul Kabir of Dhaka Special Judge Court-9 set the date following a petition seeking to defer the hearing, scheduled to be held today, reports UNB.

On 19 April, the court fixed 13 May as the date of hearing.

On 9 December 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Niko graft case against Khaleda and four others in connection with a Tk 137.77 loss to the national exchequer caused by the signing of an oil-gas exploration agreement with Canadian company Niko during BNP regime.

The anti-graft body submitted a charge sheet against 11 people on 5 May 2008. But on 9 July of that year, the High Court adjourned the case proceedings.

Later, Khaleda filed a petition with the HC challenging the legality of the case which the court rejected on 18 June 2015.