File photo: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia being moved from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University to the old central jail on November 8, 2018 Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka TribuneThe accused in the case including Begum Khaleda Zia failed to appear in court due to illnessA Dhaka court on Thursday deferred the hearing of Niko graft case filed in 2007 by Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) till January 5. Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka Special Judge Court- 9 - which is set up inside the Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj - fixed the date for hearing on charge framing against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 10 others after Begum Khaleda Zia, Barrister Moudud Ahamed counsel Masud Ahmed Talukder sought for time as they could not appear before the court due to their illnesses. In May 5, 2008, the anti-graft watchdog submitted charge sheet against Khaleda and 10 others in the graft case. Two months later, the High Court stayed the proceedings of the case following a petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Following an ACC move, on June 18, 2016, High Court cleared the way for the trial proceedings to resume against Khaleda and others in the case.

Source: Dhaka Tribune November 24, 2020 07:51 UTC