Finish Barapukuria coal mine graft trial in 6 months: HC

The High Court on Monday directed to finish in six months the trial proceedings of Barapukuria coal mine corruption case filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 15 others.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Aminul Haque, an accused of the case.

The court also rejected the petition and withdrew the stay order issued by the court in 2008 on the case proceedings.

Aminul, a former BNP minister, filed the petition in 2008, seeking cancellation of the case proceedings.
On September 8 that year, the High Court stayed the trial.

Later on September 13, the court also issued a rule asking the Anti-Corruption Commission and the government to explain why the proceedings should not be scrapped.

Meanwhile, Aminul’s lawyer Barrister Aneek R Haque told media that they will file an appeal petition with the Appellate Division challenging the High Court order.

On February 26, 2008, the ACC filed the case with Shahbagh police station accusing 16 people including Khaleda and 10 of her former cabinet colleagues of taking Tk 159 crore as bribes on the Barapukuria coal mine deal awarded to the highest bidder instead of the lowest one.