Court acquits Khaleda Zia in Niko corruption case, calls it political harassment

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been acquitted in the high-profile Niko corruption case, along with eight other individuals. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday, February 19, by Judge Rabiul Alam of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-4. 

The court ruled that the case had been filed with the intent of political harassment.

Defense lawyer Aminul Islam expressed satisfaction with the ruling, saying, "Today, we received justice. This case was initiated solely to demean, disgrace, and harass Khaleda Zia."

The case stemmed from allegations brought forth by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). 

In 2007, ACC Assistant Director Muhammad Mahbubul Alam filed charges against Khaleda Zia and 10 others, accusing them of signing an "untransparent" deal with Canadian company Niko, which allegedly caused the state a financial loss of around BDT 13,777 crore.

The case has seen many twists and turns. On February 5, the testimony phase concluded, with 39 witnesses providing their statements out of a total of 68. 

Following the defense hearings and final arguments on February 13, the court set February 19 as the day for the verdict announcement.

Last year, on March 19, Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman officially ordered the trial to begin after framing charges against Khaleda Zia and eight other defendants.

The ACC had initially claimed that the deal with Niko resulted in significant financial harm to the state, but with today‍‍`s verdict, it is clear that the court saw the case differently, calling it politically motivated. 

This decision has marked a pivotal moment in Khaleda Zia‍‍`s legal battles.