Bangladesh’s anti-corruption watchdog has taken initiative to resume proceedings in the Niko graft case against BNP chief Khaleda Zia.
Published : 03 Mar 2015, 10:41 PM
The case, filed over alleged corruption in an agreement with Canadian company Niko Resources, has been stuck for the last seven years due to a High Court stay order.
Tuesday’s Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) petition follows moves by the ACC to revive the GATCO and Barapukuria graft cases against the former prime minister.
ACC lawyer Md Khurshid Alam Khan said their petition had been taken up in the court’s cause list for Wednesday.
The bench of justices Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and JBM Hassan on Monday fixed the date.
ACC filed the case on Dec 9, 2007 against five people, including Khaleda, accusing them of causing loss of Tk 137.77 billion to the state exchequer by signing oil-gas exploration agreements with Niko.
It pressed charges on May 5 the following year against 11 persons.
The High Court on July 9, 2008 stayed proceedings of the graft case and issued a ruling. The stay order was upheld by the Appellate Division.
The development comes at a time when Khaleda has been accused in cases for instigating violence during the ongoing transport blockade and shutdowns.
A Dhaka court has issued a warrant for her arrest in two other corruption cases.