Dhaka: A court here on Thursday deferred the hearing on charge-framing against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and 10 others to February 26 in the Barapukuria coalmine corruption case, reports the UNB.

Special Judges Court-2 Judge ASM Ruhul Imran passed the order while Barrister Md Aminul Haque, an accused in the case, sought time for the hearing stating that High Court had stayed the case proceedings.

On February 26, 2008, the Anti- Corruption Commission filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station accusing 16 people, including Khaleda and 10 of her former cabinet colleagues, of taking Tk 159 crore 71 lakh in kickbacks on the Barapukuria coalmine deal which was awarded to the highest bidder instead of the lowest one.

However, among the 16 accused, Motiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed were executed for their crimes against humanity while former Finance Minister Saifur Rahman, BNP leader Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and former Petrobangla chairman AR Osmani have already died.

On October 5, 2008, the ACC pressed charges against the accused in the Barapukuria graft case.

Responding to a petition filed by Khaleda, the HC on October 16, 2008 stayed the case proceedings and issued a rule asking the ACC to explain why the case should not be quashed.

The Appellate Division later upheld the stay order as well, leaving the corruption case in the cold.

Later on September 17, 2015, the HC lifted the stay order resuming the trial proceedings of the case.