Indictment hearing in Khaleda's coal mine graft case August 5

A Dhaka court has set August 5 for holding a 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 defence lawyers pleaded for time over the grounds 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 at 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 Tk 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for the operation of the Barapukuria Coalmine to a Chinese company through abuse of power.