Dhaka: The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned till December 7 the hearing on the appeal filed by Niko seeking stay on the High Court order that declared its (Niko) two deals with Bapex and Petro Bangla illegal.

The five-member Appellate Division bench, led by acting Chief Justice Abdul Wahhab Miah, passed the order in response to a plea filed by the counsel of Niko.

Barrister Tanjib ul Alam, counsel of the appeal petitioner, today sought more time to the court, citing that they couldn’t collect the attested copy of the HC order.

On October 10, the hearing on the appeal was in the cause list of the apex court and the apex court on that day asked the petitioner to collect attested copy of HC verdict.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam stood for the state. 

On August 24, the High Court declared illegal the two deals of Canadian company Niko signed with Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (Bapex) and Petrobangla.

The court also asked the government to seize all assets of Niko in Bangladesh.

The court also blocked all payments to Niko until compensation for Sunamganj’s Tengratila gas well explosion is not paid.

Energy expert Professor Shamsul Alam filed a writ petition in 2016 challenging the legality of the deals of Niko with the two state-run companies.

Later on May 9, 2016 the High Court issued a rule asking the government to explain within four weeks why Niko’s joint venture agreement (JVA) with Bapex and Niko would not be declared illegal.

The HC also issued a stay order on the operation of the JVA and stayed any payments to Niko Bangladesh.

Moin Gani said Niko signed a deal with Bapex in 2003 while it sign another deal with Petrobangla in 2006.