Verdict in Niko graft case against BNP chief Khaleda, 7 others on Feb 19

The court heard testimonies of 39 witnesses in the trial

A Dhaka court will deliver the verdict in a case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others over corruption in the Niko gas exploration and extraction deal on Feb 19.

Judge Robiul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-4 set the date at the end of arguments from both sides on Thursday, Hannan Bhuiyan, Khaleda’s lawyer, said.

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

Charges were pressed against 11 people, including Khaleda, in 2008, for allegedly costing the state Tk 137 billion in losses by awarding a gas exploration contract to Niko Resources, a Canadian oil and gas company.

The court indicted Khaleda and seven others accused in the case on Mar 19, opening the trial 16 years after the anti-graft watchdog filed the suit. As many as 39 of 68 witnesses testified in court the trial.

Shafiur Rahman, former secretary of BAPEX and Kashem Sharif, vice president (South Asia) of Niko Resources Bangladesh Ltd were among the suspects in the case.

The seven others accused in the case are Kamaluddin Siddiqui, principal secretary to the former prime minister, Khandaker Shahidul Islam, former acting secretary of the energy and mineral resources ministry, CM Yusuf Hussain, former senior assistant secretary, Meer Moynul Haque, former senior general manager of BAPEX, businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun, Selim Bhuiyan, chairman of International Travel Corporation, and Kashem Sharif, vice president (South Asia) of Niko Resources Bangladesh Ltd.

Kashem, Moynul and Kamal Uddin are in hiding at the moment. Three other suspects – BNP Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed, former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain and former BAPEX secretary Barrister Moudud Ahmed – were exempted from the case after their deaths.