TDS Desk:

Former BAPEX MD Abdul Baki testified on Tuesday in the Niko graft case against eight people, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The testimony of Baki, however, is yet to be finished till filing the story.

On Tuesday, Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Special Judge Court No. 9 of Dhaka, located in the Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj, was scheduled to take evidence in the case. Khaleda Zia could not appear in court due to illness. On behalf of Khaleda Zia, her lawyer appeared before the court.

The court fixed 11 June as a new date for taking further evidence. Khaleda Zia’s lawyer HannanBhuiyan, confirmed the matter.

On 9 December 2007, the Assistant Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Muhammad MahbubulAlam filed a case against five people, including Khaleda Zia at the Tejgaon police station. The case was filed on charges of corruption and financial damage to the state through an opaque contract with the Canadian company Niko.

Then, on 5 May 2018, a charge sheet was filed against 11 people, including Khaleda Zia. They were accused of causing a financial loss of about Tk13,777crores to the state.

On 19 March 2023, Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of the Special Judge Court of Dhaka No. 9 framed this charge against the accused.

The other seven accused in the case are Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, KhandakerShahidul Islam, CM Eusuf Hossain, Mir MoinulHaque, Giasuddin Al Mamun, SelimBhuiyan, and Kashem Sharif.