The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The record of the Niko graft case against detained former Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina was sent to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's court yesterday for trial, following the submission of charge-sheet Wednesday.

Sessions Judge M Azizul Haque accepted the charge-sheet and issued warrant of arrest against the other accused who are absconding.

The court fixed May 14 for commencing the arraignment hearing against the high-profile graft suspects booked under the ongoing purge in the interim period.

The absconding accused are Mainul Hoque, Kashem Sharif, Dr AKM Mashiur Rahman,

Syed Anwarul Hoque, Dr SA Samad and Akmal Hossain.

Two other accused, apart from Hasina, are already in jail. They are former state minister for power and energy Prof Rafiqul Islam and ex-secretary Dr Towfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury.

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the 8 others were accused of causing a loss of Tk 13,650 crore to the state in the charge-sheet of the Niko scam case submitted by the Anti-Corruption Commission to the CMM court Wednesday. ACC deputy director Shabbir Hasan, who filed the case with Tejgaon thana on December 9 last year and also investigated the scam, submitted the charge-sheet.

The prosecution story says: 'During her tenure (1996-01) as prime minister, Sheikh Hasina in connivance with others entered into an uneven deal for exploration of gas with Canada-based company Niko. The deal was awarded illegally without tender, accruing personal benefits and thus inflicting a heavy loss on the state to the tune of Tk 13,650 crore.'