Niko graft charges against Khaleda politically motivated, says court
NN Online:
All defendants in the Niko corruption case, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, have been acquitted as the court highlighted that their involvement in the case appeared to be a tactic of political harassment.
“She did not even abuse her power,” remarked Judge Rabiul Alam of Dhaka’s Special Judge Court 4 while delivering his observation in the verdict that acquitted Khaleda Zia and seven others on Wednesday.a
The judge noted that the agreement with Niko was made during the tenure of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina. “A case was initially filed against Sheikh Hasina regarding Niko’s corruption, but it was later dismissed.”
“Subsequently, a case was filed against Khaleda Zia. However, Khaleda Zia did not commit any corruption, nor did she abuse her power. Therefore, all eight accused, including Khaleda Zia, have been acquitted,” he said.
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 Chairman of International Travel Corporation Selim Bhuiyan.
On December 9, 2007, Md Mahbubul Alam, then assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), filed the case against Khaleda Zia at Tejgaon police station.
The case alleged that financial losses were inflicted on the state through an obscure agreement with the Canadian company Niko.
Subsequently, on May 5, 2008, a charge sheet was submitted against 11 individuals, including Khaleda Zia, accusing them of causing financial damages amounting to approximately Tk 13,777 crore.
On March 19, 2023, Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka’s No 9 (temporary) Special Judge Court, located at Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj, framed charges against the accused.
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.
Out of 68 witnesses, testimonies from 39 individuals were recorded during the trial.