Barapukuria Coal Mine Graft Case

What Is the Barapukuria Coal Mine Graft Case?

• The case alleges that Khaleda Zia (former PM) and other politicians and officials caused a large financial loss to the state by misusing their power in awarding a contract for the Barapukuria Coal Mine to a Chinese company.


• The claimed loss to the exchequer is about Tk 159 crore.


• It involves corruption in coal mining operations, contract awarding, and abuse of power.

Timeline / Key Legal Developments

1. Initial Filing:
   
   
   
   • The Anti‑Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on 26 February 2008 with Shahbagh Police Station.
   
   
   • A charge sheet was submitted later on 5 October 2008 by ACC Deputy Director Md Abul Kashem Fokir.
   
   
   
   


2. Indictment / Charge‑Framing:
   
   
   
   • The court began indictment / charge‑framing hearings on 8 August 2023.
   
   
   • There was a scheduled hearing for 28 May (year not clearly stated in some sources) for framing charges.
   
   
   • However, as of a more recent update, charge framing was deferred again.
   
   
   
   


3. Discharge of Some Accused:
   
   
   
   • On 27 November 2024, a Dhaka court discharged Khaleda Zia, along with two former ministers (Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain) from the case.
   
   
   • The court did frame charges, however, against Moajjem Hossain, Nazrul Islam, Moinul Ahsan, and Md Sirajul Islam Chowdhury to initiate trial for them.
   
   
   
   


4. High Court Stay:
   
   
   
   • The High Court later ordered a six-month stay on all proceedings in the case, following a writ petition.
   
   
   • The stay was granted by a bench of Justices Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Shawkat Ali Chowdhury.
   
   
   
   


5. Calls for Speedy Disposal:
   
   
   
   • Previously, the High Court had ordered that the case be disposed of within six months, showing the pressure to resolve it.
   
   
   
   

Major Accused

• Khaleda Zia - Former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson.


• Altaf Hossain Chowdhury - Former Air Vice‑Marshal and minister.


• Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain - Former minister.


• Moajjem Hossain, Nazrul Islam, Moinul Ahsan, Md Sirajul Islam Chowdhury - Among those who remain in the trial.


• Some accused (like Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed) are no longer part of the trial due to their execution on different grounds (war crimes)