DHAKA: A Dhaka court issued production warrant against jailed BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to appear in his court on October 11 in Niko corruption case.

Judge Mahmudul Kabir of the makeshift Special Judge’s Court-9 in Bakshibazar area on Monday (September 3) fixed the date to frame charges in the case.

However, Khaleda’s lawyers sought time to appear before the court as she (Khaleda Zia) is already imprisoned in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prosecutor Mosharraf Hossen Kajol said he would, after taking legal action in this regard, file petition to the court.

On December 9, 2007, ACC filed the Niko graft case with Tejgaon police station accusing Khaleda and 4 others of abusing power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko during her tenure as the prime minister between 2001 and 2006.

On May 5, 2008, ACC assistant director SM Sahedur Rahman submitted charge-sheet against11 people including Khaleda Zia.

BDST: 1703 HRS, SEP 3, 2018

AH/AP/SMS