DHAKA: The High Court fixed March 10 to pronounce its order whether it will withdraw its stay order on proceedings of Barapukuria Coalmine graft case against Khaleda Zia.

A bench of Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hasan fixed the date as the three-day hearing on the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) petition against the HC stay ended Thursday.

Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan moved for the petition. He said the court on Wednesday rejected time petition filed by the defense counsel. The defense also skipped Thursday’s hearing, he added.
 
In 2008 during a state of emergency, the anti graft body filed the case accusing ex- Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and others, including her former 10 cabinet colleagues.

According to case statement, the government had loss about Tk 159 crore on the Barapukuria Coalmine deal awarded to the second highest bidder CMC instead of the lowest one.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia, also former Prime Minister, filed a writ petition challenging the validity of filing of the case.  

On October 16, 2008 the High Court had stayed the case proceedings and issued a rule upon the ACC to explain why the case filed against the accused should not be invalidated.

Khaleda secured a permanent bail in the case.

ACC deputy director Shamsul Alam filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station on February 26, 2008 and the charge sheet was submitted on October 5.

BDST: 1942 HRS, MAR 5, 2015