Khaleda, Two Others Cleared in Barapukuria Coal Mine Graft Case

A court here today discharged BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, former ministers Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain from Barapukuria coal mine graft case.

Judge Md Abu Taher of Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 passed the order, allowing separate discharge petitions filed for the three accused. The court, however, framed charges against Moajjem Hossain, Nazrul Islam, Moinul Ahsan and Md Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, initiating the trial officially.

There were 13 accused in the case. Of those Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed were hanged after getting convicted in crimes against humanity cases, while Barrister Aminul Huq, MK Anwar, M Shamsul Islam and AKM Mosharraf Hossain died of natural causes and their names were dropped from the charges.

The anti-graft body on February 26, 2008, filed the graft case against Khaleda Zia and 15 others with Shahbagh Police Station. ACC deputy director Md Abul Kashem Fokir on October 5, 2008, filed a charge sheet in the case. They were accused of causing a loss of around Taka 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for the operation of the Barapukuria Coalmine to a Chinese company through abuse of power.