File Photo

DHAKA, April 26, 2022 (BSS) - A court here today set June 13 for holding
hearing on charge framing in Barapukuria coal mine graft case against BNP
chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and nine others.

The court fixed the afresh date following a plea filed by Khaleda's lawyer as
Begum Zia could not appear before the court today due to poor health
condition.

Judge ASM Ruhul Imran of Dhaka Special Judge Court-2 accepted the plea and
passed the order.
 
On February 26, 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the graft
case against Khaleda Zia and 15 others with Shahbagh police station on charge
of causing a loss of Taka 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding a
contract for operation of Barapukuria Coalmine to a Chinese company through
abuse of power.

The total 16 accused are Begum Khaleda Zia, M Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan
Bhuiyan, Matiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Dr Khandaker
Mosharraf Hossain, MK Anwar, M Shamsul Islam, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury,
Barrister Aminul Huq, AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Nazrul Islam, SR Osmani, Moinul
Ahsan, Md Sirajul Islam and Moazzem Hossain.

Of the accused, convicted war criminals Nizami and Mojaheed have been hanged
and four others have died of natural causes.