A Dhaka court has asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to produce all the prosecution witnesses, including the investigation officer, before it on September 12 in Niko graft case filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and eight others.

Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka Special Judge Court-9 passed the order after Md Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan, one of Khaleda’s lawyers, appealed to the court to conclude recording of the witnesses’ statements.

On behalf of the ACC, Public Prosecutor Fatema Khanam appealed for time as no witness appeared before the court to testify in the case.

During the hearing, the Khaleda’s lawyers said that the ACC did not produce the witnesses on the last three fixed dates. Therefore, the accused should be acquitted by closing the witnesses in the case. After the hearing, the judge summoned all the witnesses on September 12.

According to court sources, the statements of two people, including the plaintiff, in the case have already been completed. Former BAPEX managing director Md Abdul Baki testified partially after the plaintiff was fully testified. The court may acquit Khaleda Zia and other accused if the witnesses do not appear before the court on September 12.

Meanwhile, the ACC filed a case against Khaleda Zia and 7 other with Tejgaon police station on December 9, 2007, for abusing power in signing a deal with Canadian company Niko to explore and extract gas.

On May 5, 2008, ACC submitted the charge sheet against 11 people, including Khaleda Zia. On March 19 last year, a court officially framed charges against Khaleda and eight other accused.

The other accused in the case are- Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, Khandaker Shahidul Islam, CM Eusuf Hossain, Mir Moinul Haque, Gias Uddin Al Mamun, MAH Selim Bhuiyan and Kashem Sharif.

Meanwhile, Khaleda, who stands an accused of over 30 other cases, was earlier acquitted of Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable trust graft cases on presidential mercy. She was also acquitted of five defamation cases filed during the immediate past Awami League rule.