Six more witnesses testified on Tuesday in the Niko corruption case filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others.

Judge Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-5 recorded the testimonies bringing the total number of witnesses heard in the case to 38 out of 68.

The court scheduled the next date for witness testimony on January 21.

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On December 9, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case accusing Khaleda and four others of causing a loss of Tk 137.77 billion to the state by signing an oil and gas exploration deal with Canadian company Niko on behalf of the state.

The anti-graft body pressed charges in court against 11 people, including Khaleda, in May 2008.

The other accused in the case are former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddique, Khandaker Shahidul Islam, CM Yusuf Hossain, former Bapex general manager Mir Mainul Haq, businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun, former parliamentarian MAH Selim and former vice-president of South Asia affairs of Niko Kashem Sharif.

Among the accused, BNP Standing Committee Member Barrister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister AKM Mosharraf Hossain and former secretary of Bapex Shafiur Rahman died during the trial proceedings.

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On March 19 last year, the same court rejected a acquittal petition filed by the defendants and ordered the framing of charges against eight of the accused.

Of the accused, Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, Mir Moynul Haque, and Kashem Sharif are absconding.