Dhaka: The High Court (HC) is set to deliver its verdict on 17 September on a petition filed by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia for quashing proceedings of Barapukuria coalmine corruption case against her.

An HC bench comprising Justice Md Nuruzzaman Noni and Justice Md Abdur Rob fixed the date for delivering the judgment.

Khaleda Zia’s lawyer Barrister Ragib Rouf said the HC had kept pending its verdict to be delivered any day after closing arguments in the trial of the petition.

Earlier on 30 August, the same bench concluded the final hearing on the petition filed by Khaleda for quashing the proceedings of Barapukuria coalmine corruption case against her after closing arguments in the trial of the case.

On 26 February, 2008, the ACC filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station, accusing 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.

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.

Following a petition of the Anti-Corruption Commission, the HC revived the case on 2 March.

On 23 August, the HC turned down two petitions filed by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia seeking all records of and the final report on Barapukuria coalmine graft case from the authorities concerned.