DHAKA: The High Court on Monday (Feb 25) issued an order to dispose the Barapukuria Coalmine graft case within next six months. 

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order after rejecting a rule of former minister Barrister Aminul Haque that sought cancellation of the case.

A total of 13 persons were accused in the charge-sheet of the case. Jamaat leader Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed were executed for their crimes against humanity. Former agriculture minister MK Anwar, who is also an accused, died.

The other accused are-- BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, former acting secretary to the energy and mineral resources ministry Nazrul Islam, former Petrobangla Director Mainul Ahsan, Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, and Hosaf Group Chairman Moazzem Hossain, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, M Shamsul Islam, Altaf Hossain Choudhury, Md Aminul Haque, and AKM Mosharraf Hossain.

On Feb 26, 2008, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) assistant director Md Shamsul Alom filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station.

The case reported loss of about Tk 158 crore from the state while handing the production and management in the coal mine.

On Monday, lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan moved for Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Malek moved for the state and Barrister Anik R Haque moved for Barrister Aminul Haque, at the courtroom. 

“Now there is no bar to run the case in trial court,” said Khurshid Alam Khan. 

BDST: 1517 HRS, FEB 25, 2019
SI