Hearing on Khaleda Zia’s bail petition begins

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court began hearing on the bail petition of Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia in Zia Charitable Trust corruption case on Thursday morning, reports UNB.

The Appellate bench, led by chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, started the hearing around 10:15am.

Additional police have been deployed in and around the Supreme Court premises for security reasons since Wednesday.

The law enforcers are allowing people in the court area after thorough checks.

On 5 December, the top court deferred the hearing until 12 December and asked the medical board formed for the treatment of Khaleda Zia to submit a report on her health condition.

A six-member Appellate bench, led by the chief justice passed the order after attorney general Mahbubey Alam sought time to file the report.

On 28 November, the bench deferred the hearing on the bail petition until 5 December. It also asked the medical board to submit a health report before the court on 5 December.

The BNP chairperson moved to the apex court on 14 November challenging a High Court Division order that had turned down her bail petition in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

The High Court on 11 September rejected her bail petition. Khaleda’s bail plea had been turned down twice before – on 31 July and 3 September.

Earlier on 8 August 2011, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Charitable Trust case with Tejgaon police against four people, including Khaleda Zia. They were accused of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.

A special court jailed the BNP chief and three others for seven years in the case on 29 October last year. Khaleda later moved to the High Court.

The former prime minister has been in jail since 8 February 2018 after she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in a separate corruption case.

She is currently undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Her party has been accusing the government of not providing adequate treatment facilities to the three-time prime minister.