A court here today set August 5 for holding
hearing on charge framing in the Barapukuria coal mine graft case against BNP
chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and nine others.
The date was announced by Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of Dhaka Special Judge
Court-2, as the defense lawyers pleaded for time over the ground of Begum
Zia’s poor health.
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 a charge-sheet
in the case.
They were accused of causing a loss of around Taka 159 crore to the state
exchequer by awarding a contract for operation of Barapukuria Coalmine to a
Chinese company through abuse of power.
