Dhaka: The High Court has concluded the final hearing on a writ petition filed by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the legality of the Niko graft case against her.

A High Court bench of justice M Nuruzzaman Noni and justice Zafar Ahmed completed hearing arguments from the both sides in the case on Thursday.

Khaleda’s lawyer Barrister Ragib Rouf said as the vacation of the HC will begin on 1 June and end on 13 June, the court is likely to pass its verdict anytime after the period.

The same HC bench is expected to hear the arguments from the both sides on Sunday next on two other writ petitions filed challenging the legality of Gatco graft case against the BNP chief.

Another writ petition for dismissing the Barapukuria coalmine graft case against Khaleda has been pending with the HC bench of Justice Md Nuruzzaman Noni and Justice Zafar Ahmed.

Earlier on April 7, Chief Justice SK Sinha formed the bench for hearing the four petitions after the HC bench comprising Justice Moinul Islam and Justice JBM Hassan, which was hearing the Barapukuria graft case, sent the case to the Chief Justice on April 5.

The move by the HC bench of Justice Moinul Islam and Justice JBM Hasan came following the filing of appeal by Khaleda seeking transfer of the cases from the bench.

The ACC on December 9, 2007 filed the Niko graft case against Khaleda and four others in connection with a Tk 137.77 loss of the national exchequer caused by the signing of an oil-gas exploration agreement with Niko during the previous BNP regime.

Later on May 5, 2008, it submitted charges against 11 persons.

On September 2, 2007, the ACC filed the Gatco graft case against Khaleda and 12 others for causing a loss of Tk 145.64 crore to the national exchequer by allegedly awarding the contract of container handling at the Chittagong port and the Dhaka’s Inland Container Depot to Gatco.

Khaleda on Sept 27, 2007 filed a petition with the High Court challenging the legality of the inclusion of the case under the Emergency Powers Act and seeking a stay order on the trial proceedings.

In 2008, an HC bench issued a rule and stayed the trial proceedings after hearing a petition of the BNP chief.

In 2008, the proceedings of the graft case was stayed again as

Khaleda filed another petition challenging the legality of the case.

On February 26, 2008, the ACC filed the Barapukuria coalmine graft case against 16 people, including former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

According to the case statement, the government incurred a loss of Tk 1.59 billion on the Barapukuria Coalmine deal awarded to the 2^nd highest bidder CMC instead of the lowest one.

Later on October 16, 2008, the HC stayed the proceedings of the case following a writ petition.