Seven more testify in Khaleda Zia’s Niko case

Seven more witnesses testified in the Niko corruption case filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others.

The court set December 1 for the next round of testimony.

On Sunday, the day was scheduled for testimony in the case.

Khaleda Zia’s lawyer submitted attendance documents, and then seven witnesses testified.

They were former Petrobangla director Mohammad Makbul Elahi, Senior Manager Mohammad Abdul Khalek, former secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Syed Sazedul Karim, Personal Officer to the Chief Adviser’s office Rowshan Akhter Siddiqui, Assistant Secretary of the Chief Adviser’s office Mohammad Motahar Hossain, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs Kohinoor Nahar, and Nurun Akhter.

They were cross-examined by the defence lawyers.

The court scheduled the next testimony session for December 1, as announced by Judge Mohammad Ali Ahsan of Dhaka's 9th Special Court.

Khaleda Zia's lawyers Zia Uddin Zia and Hannan Bhuiyan shared this information.

Out of 68 witnesses in the case, 24 have already testified.

On December 9, 2007, the then assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Mohammad Mahbubul Alam filed the case against Khaleda Zia and five others, accusing them of corruption and causing financial damage to the state through a controversial contract with Canadian company Niko.

On May 5, 2018, the court submitted the charge sheet, accusing them of causing a financial loss of about Tk13,777 crore to the state.

On March 19, 2023, the charges were formally framed by the court in Keraniganj Central Jail under Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman.

The other seven accused are former chief secretary to the Prime Minister Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, former acting secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Khondaker Shahidul Islam, former senior assistant secretary CM Yusuf Hossain, former Bapex general manager Mir Moinul Haque, businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun, Chairman of International Travel Corporation Selim Bhuiyan, and Niko’s Vice President for South Asia Kashim Sharif.

Kashim Sharif, Mir Moinul Haque, and Kamal Uddin are absconding.

Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain, and former Bapex secretary Mohammad Shafiur Rahman have been acquitted due to their deaths.