A Dhaka court on Thursday set October 7 to hold hearing on charge framing in Barapukuria Coalmine graft case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda and others.
Thursday was fixed for holding hearing on the matter, but the jail authorities could not produce prime accused Khaleda Zia before the temporary court raised in newly constructed building in front of Keraniganj Central Jail as she is undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital.
Judge AHM Ruhul Imran of Dhaka Special Judge Court-2 then deferred the hearing till October 7.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on February 26, 2008, filed the graft case against Khaleda Zia and 15 others with Shahbagh Police Station in the capital.
They were accused of causing a loss of Tk 1.59 billion to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for operation of Barapukuria coalmine to a Chinese company through abuse of power.
Of the 16, six have already died and their names are expected to be dropped from the case while framing of the charges.
The High Court on February 25, 2019, ordered the lower court concerned to dispose of the case within six months.
A High Court division bench comprising Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order, binning a plea filed by one of the accused and BNP leader Barrister Aminul Haque to quash the charges, reports BSS.