Khaleda unlikely to be produced before court today

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia being taken to jail. File Photo
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia being taken to jail. File Photo

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, now in jail, is scheduled to appear before a Dhaka court today, Sunday, in the Barapukuria coalmine graft case.

Following an appeal by the Anti-Corruption Commission -the anti-corruption watchdog which filed the case, the special judge's court-2 of Dhaka on 12 February asked Khaleda to appear before the makeshift court, set up on Alia Madrasa premises, on 18 February.

The BNP chief is now in the abandoned central jail at Nazimuddin Road in Dhaka after another makeshift court sentenced her to five years in jail in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on 8 February.

A production warrant was sent to the jail authorities for producing Khaleda before the court on 18 February.

Khaleda Zia's lawyer Sanaullah Mia on Saturday visited the Nazimuddin Road jail.

Talking to Prothom Alo later, he said he could make no contacts with either the jail super or the jailer to know if the authorities will produce Khaleda before the court tomorrow, Sunday.

He said the production of the BNP chief totally depends on the jail authorities.

During the military controlled emergency government, the ACC filed a case on 26 February 2008 with Shahbag police station against Khaleda and 15 others on charges of corruption in the Barapukuria coalmine deal.             

The charge sheet was submitted on 5 October 2008 in the case.

Khaleda has been facing as many as 34 lawsuits. Warrant for her arrest has been issued in four cases so far.