Staff Reporter: The hearing in the Niko corruption case against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has been postponed. The court has fixed December 7 for the next hearing.

The case was scheduled to be heard on Thursday (November 4). Khaleda Zia's lawyers appealed to postpone the hearing. Later, Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka's No. 9 (Temporary) Special Judge's Court granted the application and fixed a new date for the hearing.

Khaleda Zia's lawyer Hannan Bhuiyan confirmed the information.

On December 9, 2007, ACC Assistant Director Muhammad Mahbubul Alam filed a case with the Tejgaon Police Station against five people, including Khaleda Zia, during the former caretaker government.

On May 5, 2008, ACC Assistant Director SM Shahedur Rahman filed a charge sheet against 11 people, including Khaleda Zia, in the case. Allegations of financial loss of about Tk 13,777 crore were brought against them.

Other accused in the case are BNP standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain (deceased), then chief secretary to the prime minister Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, former acting secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Khandaker Shahidul Islam, former senior assistant secretary, Former general manager of Bapex Mir Moinul Haque, former secretary of Bapex. Shafiur Rahman, businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun, former Bagerhat MP MAH Selim and Nike's South Asia Vice President Kashem Sharif.