Bangla HC orders trial against Zia in coal mine graft case

In a blow to Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, a high court on Thursday ordered trial against her in a corruption case involving a contract for a coal mine during her tenure after quashing the Opposition leader’s plea to scrap the case.

The High Court dismissed Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson’s petition and ordered that she will have to face trial in the Burupukuria coalmine graft case filed by the country’s <g data-gr-id="11">Anti Corruption</g> Commission (ACC) in 2008.

The bench of Justice Md Nuruzzaman and Justice Abdur Rob lifted a freeze on the case’s proceedings following 70-year-old Zia’s petition filed seven years ago.

Khaleda and 15 others are accused of causing a loss of about Tk 1.59 billion (over USD 20 million) to the state exchequer by signing a deal with the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) to operate, manage, and maintain the Barapukuria mine during her 2001-2006 premiership.