A Dhaka court on Monday deferred hearing on charge framing against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and six others till May 20 in Barapukuria Coal Mine graft case.

Dhaka Special Judge's Court-2 Judge Nazrul Islam passed the order after a petition was filed with the court seeking an adjournment of the hearing.

The BNP chief's lawyer Zia Uddin confirmed the matter.

The time petition was filed as Khaleda Zia, who is now out of jail, did not appeared in the court due to illness.

On February 26, 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the graft case against Khaleda Zia and 15 others with Shahbagh police station. 

They were accused of causing a loss of Tk 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for operation of Barapukuria Coalmine to a Chinese company through abuse of power.

Seven accused including former ministers M Saifur Rahman and Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan died during the trial, while Jamaat leaders Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid and Motiur Rahman Nizami were executed on charges of committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.

BDST: 1542 HRS, MAR 22, 2021
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