BNP Standing Committee member Rafiqul Islam Miah on Friday alleged that their chairperson Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman was indicted violating rules in two graft cases filed by the Anti Corruption only to politically malign her.
“The charges have been framed without following the proper rules and procedures. It’s been done only to politically undermine Khaleda Zia,” he said.
Rafiqul Islam Miah came up with the allegation while addressing a human chain programme arranged by Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad in front of the Jatiya Press Club.
He alleged the lower court did not frame the charges in presence of Khaleda Zia on Wednesday. “We came to know from the newspapers that a clerk of the court informed that the charges were framed against her (Khaleda),” he said.
Rafiqul, however, hoped that the higher court will cancel the lower court order.
On Wednesday, a Dhaka court framed charges against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and seven others rejecting their time petition in the Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases.
Judge Basudev Roy of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 passed the order and fixed April 21 for starting the trial with the recording of evidence of the Prosecution Witnesses.
On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.
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 of misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore which came as grants from a foreign bank for the orphans.
Condemning the charge framing, Rafiq said the government has indicted the top brasses of BNP as part of the current ‘unelected government’s’ plot to destroy the opposition.
Crticising Law Minister Anisul Huq for his comment that there was no political motive behind framing charges against Khaleda, the BNP leader said his comment was not right.
He recalled that 16 graft cases against the current Prime Minister had been withdrawn when Anisul Huq was the lawyer of the ACC.
“The magical hand which framed the charges against Khaleda Zia is very wide which don’t allow the judiciary to function independently,” the BNP leader added.
Source: UNBConnect
