Barapukuria graft: Khaleda ordered to appear in court on Apr 13

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been asked to appear before a trial court in the Barapukuria coal mine graft case.

The court of Dhaka’s Second Special Judge Hosne Ara Begum issued the order for the BNP chief and 15 others on Monday.

Prosecutor Kabir Hossain told bdnews24.com: “The court asked the accused to appear before it on Apr 13. Khaleda Zia’s lawyers will be able to represent her at the hearing.”

Khaleda’s counsel Jaynul Abedin Mejbah said that a petition by Khaleda with the High Court on the case is yet to be resolved.

The defence was supposed to submit the High Court’s order to the trial court on Monday.

The High Court was supposed to give a verdict on the plea —seeking to scrap the case— on Sunday, but rescheduled it for Apr 5 as Khaleda’s lawyer Mahbub Uddin Khokon, who is a secretary contender of Supreme Court Bar Council’s executive committee, is occupied with the ongoing polls.

The former prime minister and 15 others are accused of causing the state exchequer a loss of about Tk 1.59 billion by signing a deal with the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) to operate, manage, and maintain the Barapukuria coal mine.

The High Court on Oct 16, 2008 stayed the case proceedings for three months following a petition by Khaleda seeking the quashing of the case.

It also issued a rule asking why the case should not be dismissed. The Appellate Division later upheld the stay order leaving the corruption case in the cold.

Khaleda, however, secured a permanent bail in the case on Jan 15, 2012.