The High Court yesterday for the second time deferred the date for delivering verdict to April 5 on a petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for quashing the proceedings of Barapukuria coalmine corruption case against her.

The order came after hearing of a time petition filed by Khaleda.

Moving the petition, Khaleda's lawyer Bodroddoza Badal told the court that her senior counsel Khandaker Mahbub Hossain and her filing lawyer AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon failed to appear before the court for placing arguments due to their personal difficulties.

In the ongoing Supreme Court Bar Association election, Khandker Mahbub is contesting for the post of its president while Khokon for the post of secretary, he said.

Earlier on March 5, the court fixed March 10 for delivering the judgment after hearing arguments from Khurshid Alam Khan, a counsel for the Anti-Corruption Commission, which filed the case on February 26, 2008.

Later, the court deferred the judgement date to March 15 as Khaleda's lawyer Zainul Abedin prayed to the court to shift the date saying that they would place arguments on this matter.

In the case, Khaleda and 15 others were accused of causing a loss of Tk 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for the operation of the coalmine to a Chinese company abusing power.