Shawdesh Desk: A Dhaka court on Wednesday set February 17 to hold hearing on charge framing in Barapukuria Coalmine graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and others.

Today was fixed for holding hearing on the matter, but the jail authorities could not produce prime accused Khaleda Zia before the temporary court raised in newly constructed building in front of Keraniganj Central Jail as she is undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

Judge ASM Ruhul Imran of the Special Judges Court 2 set the fresh date in the morning as the prosecution asked for time.
Advocate Zia Uddin Zia, lawyer of BNP Chairperson confirmed.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on February 26, 2008, filed the graft case against Khaleda Zia and 15 others with Shahbagh Police Station in the capital.

They were accused 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.

Of the 16 accused, six are already dead and their names are expected to be dropped from the case while framing of the charges.

The High Court on February 25, 2019, ordered the lower court concerned to dispose of the case within six months.

Khaleda Zia has been in jail since February 8, 2018 after she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
She has been receiving treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University since April 1 last.