A Dhaka court today set May 20 for hearing on charge framing against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and six others in Barapukuria coalmine graft case.

Judge ASM Ruhul Imran of the Special Judge's Court-2 of Dhaka passed the order after a petition was filed with the court on behalf of Khaleda Zia, seeking an adjournment of the hearing, Advocate Masud Ahmed Talukder, one of her lawyers, told The Daily Star.

In the petition, Masud said Khaleda, who is now out of jail after an executive order of the government, is unwell and cannot leave her residence due to Covid-19 pandemic. So, the hearing should be adjourned, he said.

During today's hearing, two other accused including BNP leader Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, now on bail, were present at the court while three others, including Mozammel Hossain, were absent.

Another accused Md Sirajul Islam has been absconding since the case was filed against him.

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

The ACC pressed charges against Khaleda and 15 others in the graft case on October 5, 2008.

Seven accused including former ministers M Saifur Rahman and Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan died during the trial, while Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid and Motiur Rahman Nizami were executed on charges of committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971. So, the eight were dropped from the trial.