Khaleda’s Trial in 17 Cases: Special court set up inside Keraniganj jail
From now on, the trials of 17 cases against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will be held at a special court inside Keraniganj Central Jail in Dhaka due to security reasons.
The law ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard on Sunday.
The trials would take place at the special court, set up at building-2 of Keraniganj jail, said the notification.
The 17 cases include Niko, Gatco and Barapukuria coalmine graft cases.
Talking to The Daily Star, ACC Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajol said the government has already set up the special court inside the Keraniganj jail.
The trial in the Niko graft case was being held at a special court set up inside the old Dhaka central jail and the trials in 16 other cases were taking place at a makeshift court at Government Alia Madrasa in the capital’s Bakshibazar area.
Hearing in the Gatco graft case is scheduled to be held today at the special court at Keraniganj Central Jail.
Khaleda landed in jail in February last year after she was sentenced to five years in prison in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. The High Court later extended her jail term to 10 years.
In the Zia Charitable Trust graft case, she was jailed for seven years.
The former prime minister is now undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in custody of the jail authorities.
NIKO CASE
The Anti-Corruption Commission had filed the Niko graft case with Tejgaon police on December 9, 2007, accusing Khaleda and 10 others of abusing power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko.
GATCO CASE
On September 2, 2007, the ACC had filed the case with Tejgaon police accusing Khaleda, Galib Tanveer and several others of misappropriating Tk 1,000 crore while dealing with Global Agro Trade (Pvt) Company Ltd (Gatco).
The ACC pressed charges against Khaleda and 23 others in May, 2008.
BARAPUKURIA CASE
The ACC had filed the case with Shahbagh police on February 26, 2008, accusing 16 people, including Khaleda and 10 of her former cabinet colleagues, of taking Tk 159 crore in kickbacks on the Barapukuria coalmine deal awarded to the highest bidder.
Comments