Indictment hearing in Khaleda's coalmine graft case Oct 31

A Dhaka court on Sunday set October 31 for holding hearing on charge- framing in Barapukuria coalmine graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and 15 others, reports BSS.

Sunday was fixed for holding the indictment hearing, but judge AHM Ruhul Imran of Dhaka Special Judge Court-2 had to reset the date as Begum Khaleda Zia once again failed to appear before the court because of her 'poor health condition'.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on February 26, 2008, filed the graft case against Khaleda Zia and 15 others with Shahbagh Police Station. ACC deputy director Md Abul Kashem Fokir on October 5, 2008, filed charge-sheet in the case.

They were accused of causing a loss of Tk 1.59 billion (159 crore) to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for operation of Barapukuria Coalmine to a Chinese company through abuse of power.

The 16 accused are- Begum Khaleda Zia, M Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Matiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, MK Anwar, M Shamsul Islam, Altaf Hossain, Barrister Aminul Huq, AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Nazrul Islam, Osmani, Moinul Ahsan, Sirajul Islam and Moazzem Hossain.