Former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, along with others, faced testimony in the Niko corruption case from investigation officer and then-ACC Deputy Director Shahedur Rahman. The testimony was recorded on Tuesday by Judge Abdullah Al-Mamun of Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-5. As the testimony was incomplete, the next hearing was scheduled for January 29.

Representing Khaleda Zia in court were lawyers Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan, Abdul Hannan Bhuiyan, and Aminul Islam. Previously, 38 witnesses, including the complainant, Canadian police officers Lloyd Schwoep and Kevin Duggan, had testified in the case.

Khaleda Zia, unable to attend the hearing due to medical treatment abroad, was represented by her lawyer Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan. So far, 39 out of 68 witnesses have testified in the case.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on December 9, 2007, accusing Khaleda Zia and four others of abusing power and signing a non-transparent agreement with Canada’s Niko Resources, causing significant financial losses to the state. On May 5, 2008, ACC’s then-assistant director S.M. Shahidur Rahman submitted a charge sheet against Khaleda Zia and 10 others to Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.