Dhaka: A Dhaka Court on Sunday fixed 10 August for hearing on charge framing against nine accused, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, in the Barapukuria coalmine corruption case.

Judge of the Special Judge’s Court-2 Hosne Ara Begum issued the order, reports UNB.

The court also asked the accused, including Khaleda, to appear before it that day.

Earlier on 12 June, the court ordered them to appear before it on 24 July.

Later the accused filed time petition.

Eight other accused in the case include BNP leaders Dr Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, MK Anwar, M Shamsul Islam, Air Vice Marshall (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister M Aminul Hoque, chairman of Hosaf Group Moazzem Hossain, former Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Secretary Nazrul Islam, former director of Petrobangla Moinul Ahsan and M Sirajul Islam Chowdhury.

Meanwhile, Nazrul Islam and Moinul Ahsan were granted fresh bail in the case after they surrendered before the court on Sunday on expiry of the bail period.

On 26 February, 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 Tk159 crore in kickbacks on the Barapukuria coalmine deal 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 former Petrobangla chairman AR Osmani have already died.

Responding to a petition filed by Khaleda, the HC on 16 October, 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.

Khaleda, however, managed to secure a permanent bail in the case on 15 January, 2012.