Khaleda bail decision after receiving verdict documents: HC

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday failed to secure bail in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case as the High Court says it will pass an order on her bail petition upon receiving all the documents relating to the judgment from the lower court, reports UNB.

The HC bench of justice M Enayetur Rahim and justice Shahidul Karim concluded the hearing on the bail petition today, Sunday and kept the order pending as the HC is yet to receive the verdict documents.

Last Thursday the HC asked the lower court to submit all the relevant documents within 15 days.

The hearing on Khaleda's bail petition began around 2:40pm and concluded at 3:40pm.

The BNP chief filed two separate petitions with the High Court on Thursday.

After hearing one of the petitions, the court earlier stayed the fine of Tk 2.10 crore slapped by the lower court on Khaleda and deferred bail hearing in the case till Sunday.

Lawyer Nawshad Zamir and lawyer Kaiser Kamal, on behalf of the BNP chief, submitted the 880-page bail petition showing 31 grounds for granting her bail.

 On Tuesday, lawyers of the BNP chairperson filed an appeal with the High Court challenging her sentence in the graft case. The court fixed Thursday for the hearing.

 On 8 February, the Dhaka special court-5 convicted the former prime minister and BNP chairperson and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

 She was then sent to the abandoned central jail at Nazimuddin Road in the city.