Khaleda should’ve been given more rigorous punishment: Law minister

Law minister Anisul Huq said on Sunday that BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia should have been awarded with more rigorous punishment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

The fifth special judge’s court of Md Akhtaruzzaman on 8 February sentenced the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson to five years in jail along with a fine of Tk 21 million.

“Considering her age, physical ailment and social dignity, the judge has awarded her a lesser punishment compared to what she deserves as per the gravity of the offence,” observed the law minister.

He was speaking at a discussion on criminalised politics organised by ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) in the capital’s CIRDAP auditorium.

Although the topic of the discussion was politics of corruption and criminalised politics, the central point of discussion was the BNP, Khaleda Zia and her exiled son Tarique Rahman.

One to two discussants, however, talked about the corruption committed by ruling AL party’s leaders and activists.

Claiming that the verdict against Khaleda had no link with politics, Anisul said the ruling AL has no involvement with the case in which Khaleda has been convicted.

He further alleged that the conviction of Khaleda has pushed the BNP towards its crisis of existence.

“The Awami League's involvement is only with the trials which should be done for establishing rule of law and the Awami League is only ensuring that,” he added.

The law minister went on to say, “You’ve swindled the money meant for orphans and now you are calling it a political case. This is a lame excuse. They’ve nothing to say other than this.”