Trial of a graft case began at a Dhaka court yesterday with the accused, BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka, in absentia.

Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah recorded statements of the plaintiff, Anti-Corruption Commission Assistant Director Shamsul Alam, and fixed May 20 for the next hearing. 

Earlier, a dozen of cases, including a sedition case, was filed against Khoka who is now abroad for treatment.

The court framed the charge against Khoka in his absence on October 30 last year. Earlier on October 21, the same court issued an arrest warrant against him.  

The ACC filed the case on April 2, 2008 against Khoka, his wife Ishmat Ara, son Ishrak Hossain and daughter Sarika Sadeque for allegedly accumulating wealth worth over Tk 17.57 crore, which does not match his actual income, and concealing the information about his wealth.

The anti-graft body pressed charges against Khoka on July 2, 2008. But the investigation officer dropped the names of Khoka's son and daughter from the charge sheet as their involvement was not proven in the investigation.

The ACC could not press the charge against Khoka's wife as the High Court stayed the investigation against her after she filed a writ petition with it. 

Following the charge sheet, Khoka challenged its legality with the HC. The HC then stayed the trial proceedings for a long time. But on May 20, 2012, the HC vacated the stay order and ordered the lower court to continue the trial.