Niko case: SC clears way for Khaleda’s trial

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday cleared the way for the lower court to resume the trial proceedings against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Niko corruption case.

A three-member bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order on Thursday.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the Niko graft case in December 2007 over charges that Khaleda and several others abused power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko when she was PM between 2001 and 2006.

Former law minister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain, former acting energy secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam, and Vice-President (South Asia) of Niko Resources Bangladesh Ltd Kashem Sharif were also sued.