DHAKA: A makeshift court of Dhaka deferred the charge hearing in Niko corruption case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia till June 23.

Judge Sheikh Hafijur Rahman of Special Judge’s Court-9, which is set up in Dhaka Central Jail, Keraniganj, set the date on Thursday (May 30) as the Khaleda Zia could not appear before the court on account of her illness.

Prison authorities admitted Khaleda Zia to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

In December 2007, the ACC filed the case accusing the 11 people over misusing power to grant a gas deal to Canadian company Niko when Khaleda was the prime minister of Bangladesh between 2001 and 2006.

Apart from BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, former Law Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed, former secretaries Md Shafiur Rahman, Khondker Shahidul Islam, CM Yusuf Hossain and former President of Dhaka Club Selim Bhuiyan are among the prime accused of the case.

Secretary Shafiur Rahman died on May 5 of 2018.

The other three accused—Former secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, Former General Manager of Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration & Production Company Limited (BAPEX) Meer Moinul Haque and Niko South Asia Affairs Vice President Kashem Sharif -are absconding.

Khaleda Zia has been serving her 10 years extended jail sentence in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case since February 8, 2018.

BDST: 1605 HRS, MAY 30, 2019

AH/SMS