DHAKA, June 11, 2024 (BSS) - A Dhaka court today adjourned till July 23 the hearing of Niko graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and seven others.
 
Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-9 passed the order as former managing director of Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX) Md Abdul Baki continued to submit his deposition for the third day today.
 
As the witness failed to conclude his deposition at the end of today's proceedings, the court adjourned its hearing till July 23. Baki started his deposition on March 4, testified for the second day on May 14, and continued today. Meanwhile, prime accused Begum Khaleda Zia appeared through her lawyer today.

The court on March 19, 2023, framed charges against the eight accused.
 
Begum Khaleda Zia, who is now on bail, pleaded not guilty through her lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder on that day and demanded justice.
 
The other accused in the case are- Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, Khandaker Shahidul Islam, CM Eusuf Hossain, Mir Moinul Haque, Gias Uddin Al Mamun, Selim Bhuiyan and Kashem Sharif.
 
The anti-graft body filed the case against five including Begum Khaleda Zia with Tejgaon police station on December 9, 2007, for abusing power in signing a deal with Canadian company Niko for exploring and extracting gas.
 
The ACC on May 5, 2008, submitted the charge sheet against 11 people including Khaleda Zia. The ACC accused them of incurring a loss of more than Taka 13 thousand crore to the state exchequer by signing that deal.

As the three accused-Barrister Moudud Ahmed, AKM Mosharraf Hossain, and Md Shafiur Rahman died of natural causes, they were discharged from the case, leaving the eight other accused to face justice.