Khaleda Zia reaches court to surrender in Niko graft case

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has reached the court in Old Dhaka where she will surrender in the Niko graft case.

Her motorcade arrived at the court around 12.15pm.

Earlier she left from her Gulshan residence after 11am, said the BNP chief’s Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas.

Counsels said that Khaleda will surrender to the court of of Dhaka’s Ninth Special Judge Md Aminul Islam and seek bail in the case, which accuses her causing a loss of Tk 137 billion to the state exchequer.

Meanwhile, tight security has been put in place on the court premises ahead of Khaleda’s arrival.

More than 100 police and RAB personnel have been deployed in and around the premises since Monday morning.

Traffic movement have been restricted in the streets around the court area in Old Dhaka.

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on Dec 9, 2007 after the BNP chairperson was arrested by the military-backed caretaker government.

Charges were pressed against 11 people, including Khaleda, on May 5, 2008, for allegedly causing a loss of Tk 137 billion to the state by awarding the gas exploration contract to a Canadian company, Niko Resources.

The High Court on July 9, 2008 stayed proceedings of the graft case and issued a ruling after Khaleda filed the petition. The stay order was upheld by the Appellate Division.

The case was stuck for the last seven years until the ACC moved to revive it earlier this year.

On Jun 18, the High Court rejected Khaleda’s petition questioning the legality of the case and lifted a freeze on the case proceedings.

It had also ordered the former prime minister to surrender before the court within two months after receiving the court order.