Dhaka: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday stayed for another week a High Court (HC) order that cleared the way for a lower court to resume the trial proceedings against former Law Minister Moudud Ahmed in the Niko corruption case.

A three‐member SC bench led by Chief Justice SK Sinha extended the stay order after a hearing.

On 13 April, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Syed Mahmud Hossain stayed the HC order until 7 May.

Earlier, the HC rejected a petition filed by the BNP leader challenging the legality of the case.

On 1 December, the HC stayed the trial proceedings against Moudud in this case after hearing the petition filed by him.

The order was vacated after an appeal by the Anti‐Corruption Comission.

The ACC on 9 December, 2007 filed the case against Moudud and four others in connection with a Tk 13,777 crore loss to the national exchequer caused through signing an oil‐gas exploration agreement with Niko during the BNP tenure.

Later on 5 May, 2008, it submitted the charge‐sheet against 11 people.

Canadian oil and gas exploration firm Niko Resources faced accusations of negligence after several blowouts at gas fields under its control in Bangladesh.