Recording testimony deferred to Oct 26

A Dhaka court deferred Monday the recording of statement by prosecution witnesses untill October 26 in the Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and others, reports UNB.

Judge Basudev Roy of the Special Judge Court-3 passed the order when Khaleda Zia's lawyer Barrister Mahbubuddin Khokon submitted two petitions seeking time.

In a petition, he mentioned that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia could not appear before the makeshift court at Bakshibazar Monday due to security reason.

In another petition, the lawyer sought adjournment of recording testimony until the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) resolves the leave-to-appeal filed by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia against a High Court (HC) order that rejected her two writ petitions.

The court asked Khaleda Zia to appear before the court on October 26.

On March 19, the judge indicted Khaleda, her son and BNP's senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, and seven others in the two cases.

On August 8, 2011, the Anti Corruption Commission 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.

The investigation officer of the case, ACC deputy director Harunur Rashid, pressed charges against the accused on January 16, 2012.

The ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda Zia, her eldest son Tarique Rahman.