Dispose Barapukuria coalmine graft case within 6 months: HC

The High Court on Monday ordered the court concerned to dispose of the Barapukuria coalmine corruption case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 10 others within six months.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order after rejecting a petition filed by Barrister Aminul Haq, an accused in the case, seeking cancellation of the case, filed.

Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the ACC while deputy attorney general Amin Uddin represented the state and Barrister Anik R Haq stood for the accused, reports UNB.

Earlier, on January 31, Special Judges Court-2 Judge ASM Ruhul Imran deferred the hearing on charge-framing against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and 10 others to February 26 in the Barapukuria coalmine corruption case.

On February 26, 2008, the Anti- Corruption Commission filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station accusing 16 people, including Khaleda and 10 of her former cabinet colleagues, of taking Tk 159 crore 71 lakh in kickbacks on the Barapukuria coalmine deal which was awarded to the highest bidder instead of the lowest one.

However, among the 16 accused, MotiurRahmanNizami and Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed were executed for their crimes against humanity while former Finance Minister SaifurRahman, BNP leader Abdul MannanBhuiyan and former Petrobangla chairman AR Osmani have already died.

On October 5, 2008, the ACC pressed charges against the accused in the Barapukuria graft case.

Responding to a petition filed by Khaleda, the HC on October 16, 2008 stayed the case proceedings and issued a rule asking the ACC to explain why the case should not be quashed.

The Appellate Division later upheld the stay order as well, leaving the corruption case in the cold.

Later on September 17, 2015, the HC lifted the stay order resuming the trial proceedings of the case.