Khaleda Zia acquitted from Niko graft charge

A Dhaka court on Wednesday acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others from the much-talked Niko graft case.

Judge Rabiul Alam of Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-4 handed down the judgement.

Lawyer Mohammad Ziauddin Zia was present in the court on behalf of Khaleza Zia, who is currently in London for medical treatment.

The other acquitted individuals are former principal secretary to the prime minister Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, former Bapex general manager Mir Moynul Haque, Niko’s South Asia Vice President Kashem Sharif, former acting secretary of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Khandaker Shahidul Islam, former senior assistant secretary CM Yusuf Hossain, businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun, and former Bagerhat MP MAH Selim.

On December 9 of 2007, the the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case, accusing Khaleda Zia and several others of abusing power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko when she was prime minister between 2001 and 2006.

On May 5 of 2008, the ACC pressed charges against 11, including Khaleda Zia.

The names of former BNP standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister for energy and mineral resources AKM Mosharraf Hossain and former Bapex secretary Md Shafiur Rahman had been dropped due to their death.