Dhaka: A court here on Wednesday deferred until August 16 the charge-framing hearing against Khaleda Zia and 10 others in the Niko graft case while the BNP chief secured bail in 10 other cases upon her surrender.

Judge Mohammad Aminul Islam of the Special Judge Court-9 passed the order following a time-petition filed by the defence lawyers.

On August 16, the court will hear the defence lawyers while the prosecution has already placed their arguments.

The Anti Corruption Commission on December 9, 2007 filed the Niko graft case against Khaleda Zia and four others in connection with a loss of Tk 137.77 crore to the national exchequer caused by the signing of an oil and gas exploration agreement with Niko during BNP’s rule from 2001 to 2006.

On May 5, 2008, the ACC submitted the charge-sheet to the Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court against Khaleda and 10 others.

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Session’s Judge Mohammad Kamrul Hossain Mollah granted bail to Khaleda Zia in eight arson cases filed with Darus Salam Police Station when she surrendered before the court seeking bail.

The same court also granted fresh bail to her in another case filed on sedition charge for her remarks on the number of Liberation War martyrs.

Taking cognisance of six of the cases, including the sedition one, the court fixed October 10 for the next hearing while it set September 3 for hearing on the three other cases filed under the Special Powers Act.

The court also issued warrants for the arrest of a number of accused in five cases and asked the officer-in-charge concerned to submit a progress report in this regard on October 10 next.

Besides, Metropolitan Magistrate Nurunnahar Yasmin granted bail to Khaleda Zia in an arson case filed with Darus Salam Police Station when she surrendered before it seeking bail.

On the other hand, Judge Hosne Ara Begum of the Special Judge Court-2 fixed September 8 for hearing on the Barapukuria graft case against Khaleda and eight others when they appeared before it the morning.

The ACC on February 26, 2008 filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station accusing 16 people, including Khaleda and 10 of her former cabinet colleagues, of taking Tk 159 crore in kickbacks on the Barapukuria coalmine deal awarded to the highest bidder instead of the lowest one.