Barapukuria graft case against Khaleda, charge hearing begins

Khaleda Zia on Way to hospital late Monday night.

A Dhaka court on Tuesday started hearing on charge framing in the Barapukuria Coalmine graft case against BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and nine others.

On Tuesday Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kazal concluded his part of hearing. Counsel for accused Moinul Hasan took part in the hearing for the acquittal of his client.

After the end of Tuesday’s hearing Judge Md Akteruzzaman of Dhaka Special Judge Court-2 adjourned the proceedings till September 26.

The anti-graft body on February 26, 2008, filed the graft case against Khaleda Zia and 15 others with Shahbagh Police Station in the capital. ACC Deputy Director Md Abul Kashem Fokir on October 5, 2008, submitted the charge sheet of the case.

In the charge sheet they were accused of causing a loss of around Taka 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for operation of Barapukuria Coalmine to a Chinese company through abuse of power.

Of the initial 16 accused, convicted war criminals Nizami and Mojaheed have been hanged and five others have died of natural causes and their names are expected to be dropped from the case during framing of the charges.

Now the eight accused are- Begum Khaleda Zia, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Dr Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Md Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, Moajjem Hossain, Nazrul Islam, Moinul Ahsan and AKM Mosharraf Hossain. - Special Correspondent