Khaleda verdict in foreign media

The foreign media have published the court verdict against Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia with due importance.

Former prime minister Khaleda Zia on Thursday was convicted and sentenced to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, which was filed during the army-backed interim government in 2008.

After Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad, Khaleda is the second head of the government who got convicted in a graft case.

The story the Agence France-Presse (AFP) ran had the headline 'Clashes as Bangladesh court jails opposition leader Zia' while Reuters wrote 'Bangladesh's ex-PM jailed for graft; plans to appeal'.

Reuters published another news item titled 'Bangladesh police fire tear gas to scatter opposition protesters'.

Top British newspaper The Guardian published the verdict news under the heading 'Violent protests as opposition leader is jailed in Bangladesh'.

The New York Times covered the news item including law enforcement’s preparation over the verdict.

One of its news items was under the heading 'Bangladesh Is on High Alert Before Verdict Against Ex-PM Zia'.

BBC Online's story was headlined 'Bangladesh ex-PM Khaleda Zia jailed amid clashes' while the heading of Al Jazeera read 'Khaleda Zia jailed for five years in corruption case'.

Press Trust of India’s heading was 'Ex-Bangla PM Khaleda Zia sentenced to 5 years in graft case'.

Pakistan’s Dawn also covered the news, writing 'Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia given 5 years in jail for embezzlement'.

While The Daily Telegraph of Britain wrote 'Ex-Bangladeshi PM gets five years jail'.