Graft case verdict on Khaleda, 5 others 8 Feb

Verdict in the Zia Orphanage Trust Graft case, filed against Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and four others, will be pronounced on 8 February.

The court of Dhaka special judge-5 Akhtaruzzaman fixed the date following the completion of trial process of the case on Thursday.

Lawyers said the plaintiff, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), and the defence lawyers presented their arguments for 16 working days. Overall, the court heard the case for 236 working days.

ACC lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kazal sought the highest sentence for the six accused, including the BNP chief.

But, arguing that the case lacks any serious substance at all, defence lawyer Abdur Rezzak Khan sought acquittal of Khaleda Zia.

The BNP chairperson appeared before the Special Judges Court-5 on Alia Madrasa ground in Old Dhaka around 11:40am and left the court premises around 3:25pm.

Read More: Khaleda judgement what PM Hasina wants: Fakhrul

The ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, during the quasi-military regime of Fakhruddin Ahmed in July 2008, accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, and four others of misappropriating more than Tk 21 million that had come as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.

The four other accused are—former BNP lawmaker Salimul Haq Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, former principal secretary to the prime minister Kamal Uddin Siddique and nephew of late president Ziaur Rahman, Mominur Rahman.

UNB adds: The court fixed 30 and 31 January and 1 February for hearing of arguments in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

On 8 August 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon police station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.