Two more witnesses testified today (March 4) in the Niko graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and seven others.

The two are seizure list witnesses Miraz Hossain and Abdul Baki.

Of the two, testimony and cross examination of Miraz were concluded today. Testimony of Baki, however, is yet to be finished.

Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-9 later adjourned the hearing till April 4.

The court on March 19, 2023, framed charges against the eight accused.

Begum Khaleda Zia, who is now on bail, pleaded not guilty through her lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder on that day and demanded justice.

The other accused in the case are- Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, Khandaker Shahidul Islam, CM Eusuf Hossain, Mir Moinul Haque, Gias Uddin Al Mamun, Selim Bhuiyan and Kashem Sharif.

The anti-graft body filed the case against five including Begum Khaleda Zia with Tejgaon police station on December 9, 2007, for abusing power in signing a deal with Canadian company Niko for exploring and extracting gas.

The ACC on May 5, 2008, submitted the charge-sheet against 11 people including Khaleda Zia. The ACC accused them of causing the incurring a loss of more than Taka 13 thousand crore to state exchequer by signing that deal.

As the three accused-Barrister Moudud Ahmed, AKM Mosharraf Hossain and Md Shafiur Rahman died of natural causes, they were discharged from the case, leaving the eight other accused to face justice.

BDST: 1915 HRS, MAR 04, 2024
MN