Court asks Khaleda to appear on May 25

A Dhaka court has asked BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to appear before it on May 25 in two graft cases.

Dhaka’s Third Special Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar fixed May 25 for the next hearing in the Zia Charitable and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases.

Khaleda’s counsel Masud Ahmed Talukder assured the court that the BNP chief will appear before the court on the fixed date.

Khaleda’s lawyers filed six petitions seeking time, adjournment of the hearing for the day and holding the hearing in the absence of the BNP chief. The court granted the last two petitions.

The defence lawyers apprised the court that Khaleda could not appear due to security reasons, as she was attacked earlier when she attempted to appear before the court.

They also told the court that they need time as their senior lawyers are busy with the upcoming Bar Council polls.

Lawyers Sharfuddin Ahmed and Kazi Salimullah quizzed plaintiff Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Deputy Director Harun-or-Rashid in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

The court also recorded Harun-or-Rashid’s deposition in the Zia Charitable Trust case.

The trial of the corruption cases against Khaleda and eight other accused began on September 22 last year.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed one of the graft cases against Khaleda and five others for embezzling over Tk2.1 crore by forming a “fake” Zia Orphanage Trust that existed only on paper.

The other accused are Khaleda’s son Tarique Rahman, Ziaur Rahman’s nephew Mominur Rahman, Khaleda’s former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, former BNP lawmaker Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed.

The other case was filed by the anti-graft body in 2011 for abusing power in setting up the Zia Charitable Trust, accusing Khaleda, her former political secretary Harris Chowdhury, his assistant private secretary Ziaul Islam Munna, and former Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka’s assistant personal secretary and Monirul Islam Khan.