Khaleda to appear before court Monday

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will appear before the Special Judge’s Court-3, Dhaka, on Monday in connection with Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust funds graft cases. She will attend the trial of the two cases now being held in makeshift court set up in the Alia Madrasa premises in the city’s Bakshibazar. BNP Mass Education affairs secretary Advocate Sanaullah Mia said Khaleda will start from Gulshan for the Old Dhaka court around 9:00am. On July 23, Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar of the Third Dhaka Special Judge’s Court fixed Monday (Aug 3) for hearing in response to a time petition filed by Khaleda’s lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain. Earlier on June 18, the court adjourned till July 23 the hearing on the two graft cases against Khaleda in her presence.
On August 8, 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. ACC deputy director Harunur Rashid, also an investigation officer of the case, pressed charges against the accused on January 16, 2012. Besides, 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, now living in the UK after securing bail, and four others for misappropriating over Tk20.10 million (Tk2.10 crore) which came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans. On August 5, 2010, Harunur Rashid submitted a charge-sheet to the court in the case against six people, including Khaleda Zia, according to a news agency.

- mbz