A Dhaka court has granted an application to summon a US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent and two officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as witnesses in the Niko corruption case against 11 people including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Special Judge Court 9 of Dhaka gave this order on Sunday (17 September), confirmed Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan.

An application was filed on behalf of the ACC to issue summons for these three people to appear in court, said lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan.

After the three witnesses receive the court summons, the ACC will arrange for them to testify in the Bangladesh court, he added.

On 9 December 2007, the ACC filed the case, accusing Khaleda and four others of causing a loss of Tk13,777 crore to the state by signing an oil and gas exploration deal with Canadian company Niko on behalf of the state.

In the case, the anti-graft body said, the deal was deemed to not place Bangladesh's national interest above all other considerations, and swayed by graft.

In May 2008, the ACC pressed charges in court against 11 people, including Khaleda.

Khaleda Zia and other accused in the case made a plea to the High Court which led to the suspension of the trial for almost 15 years.