DHAKA, Dec 13, 2022 (BSS) - A court here today fixed January 17 to hold

hearing on charge framing in Niko graft case against BNP chairperson Begum
Khaleda Zia.

Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman passed the order at a temporary courtroom of the
Dhaka Special Judge's Court-9 at Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.

Today was set for holding hearing on charge framing against Khaleda Zia, but
she could not appear in court because of illness. Subsequently, her lawyer
requested the court to adjourn the hearing.

Khaleda's lawyer Zia Uddin Zia confirmed the matter to BSS.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against five including
Begum Khaleda Zia with Tejgaon police station on December 9, 2007 for abusing
power in signing a deal with Canadian company Niko for exploring and
extracting gas.

The ACC on May 5 in 2008 submitted the charge-sheet against 11 people
including Khaleda Zia. The ACC accused them of incurring a loss of more than
Taka 13 thousand crore of state exchequer by that deal.