The court in Dhaka on on Tuesday set September 12 for recording deposition against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others in Niko graft case.

As Khaleda's lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder filed an application in the morning seeking stay on testimony, Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-9 at Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj fixed the new date.

Masud Ahmed also informed the court that they filed a petition with the top court challenging the legality of charge frame in the case.

Earlier on March 19, the same court formed charges against the accused.

The ACC on December 9, 2007, filed the case against five, including Khaleda Zia with Tejgaon Police Station, for abusing power in signing a deal with Canadian company Niko for exploring and extracting gas.

On March 19 this year, Judge of Dhaka Special Court-9 Sheikh Hafizur Rahman framed charges against Khaleda and seven others in Niko graft case.

The court also set May 23 for recording testimonies of the witnesses.

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, 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.