Dhaka, Sept 27 – BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday filed a revision petition with the High Court seeking a stay on the trial proceedings of Zia Charitable Trust corruption case against her. The BNP chief moved before the High Court challenging the legality of the lower court decision that had on September 20 decided to continue the trial proceedings of Zia Charitable Trust case in her absence.
In the petition, the BNP chief also prayed to the High Court to issue a rule upon the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the state to explain why the lower court decision to run the trial of the case in her absence should not be scrapped.
After filing the petition, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, one of the counsels of the BNP chief, told reporters that the lower court decision to continue running the trial proceedings of the case against the BNP chief in her absence is illegal and unconstitutional as the court could not run the trial of an accused if he or she is physically sick.
Kamal also said that the court, which was set up inside the abandoned Old Dhaka Central jail, is unlawful and unconstitutional.
In response to a query, he said that they would move the petition before the HC very soon for its hearing.
On September 20, the court, set up inside the jailhouse, decided to continue the trial proceedings in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case in the absence of the BNP chairperson.
On September 5, Khaleda appeared before the court and refused to appear before the court for hearings again, saying she was ill.
Previously, the trial used to be held at a makeshift court in the Bakshibazar area, but on September 4, the Law Ministry issued a gazette notification, mentioning that the trial in the graft case would be held at the abandoned Old Dhaka Central Jail on Nazimuddin Road.
On February 8, the same special court awarded Khaleda five years’ imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case and sentenced her elder son, Tarique Rahman, now acting BNP chairman, and four others to 10 years’ imprisonment each. Khaleda has been in jail since then.
The ACC lodged the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon police station in August 2011, accusing Khaleda and three others of abusing their power to raise funds for the trust from unknown sources. – Staff Reporter
