Niko graft case trial against Khaleda Zia begins

The trial proceedings of the Niko graft case filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and others began on Tuesday, after being suspended for 15 years on a High Court order.

Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of the Special Judge Court recorded the disposition of plaintiff Muhammad Mahbubul Alam, the then assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The court set up at the Keraniganj Central Jail fixed 20 June for recording the next part of the plaintiff's disposition.

Earlier on 19 March this year, the same court framed charges against eight defendants, including Khaled Zia.

The others indicted in the case are BNP Standing Committee Member Maudud Ahmad, former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain, the then prime minister's principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, former acting secretary of energy ministry Khandkar Shahidul Islam, former senior assistant secretary CM Yusuf Hossain, former Bapex general manager Mir Moinul Haque, former Bapex secretary Md Shafiur Rahman, businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun, International Travel Corporation Chairman Salim Bhuiyan, and Niko South Asia Vice President Kashem Sharif.

Later, the names of AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Maudud Ahmad, and former Bapex secretary Shafiur Rahman were dropped from the case as they died.

On 9 December 2007, the ACC filed the case, accusing Khaleda and four others of causing a loss of Tk13,777 crore to the state by signing an oil and gas exploration deal with Canadian company Niko on behalf of the state.

In the case, the anti-graft body said, the deal was deemed to not place Bangladesh's national interest above all other considerations, and swayed by graft.

In May 2008, the ACC pressed charges in court against 11 people, including Khaleda.

Khaleda Zia and other accused in the case made a plea to the High Court which led to the suspension of the trial for almost 15 years.