Dhaka, Sept 26 – The Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka on Wednesday extended the bail of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia till September 30 in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case. Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka passed the order after Khaleda’s lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder submitted a petition seeking an extension of her bail in the case.
The lawyer also submitted another petition seeking an adjournment of the argument hearing.
Meantime, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Prosecutor Mosharraf
Hossain Kajol submitted a petition for closing argument and setting a date for the delivery of the judgment.
Two other petitions, which were filed by two other accused—Ziaul Islam Munna and Monirul Islam Khan— expressing no confidence on the judge saying that they might not get justice from this court.
The court heard from both sides on the petitions and fixed September 30 for delivering its order on the all petitions relating to the case.
During yesterday’s proceedings, Advocate Akhtar Hossain, one of the counsel for Ziaul Islam Munna and Monirul Islam Khan, sought bail extension order on behalf of his clients.
He also sought adjournment order from the court saying that his clients would move before the higher court relating to the change of court as they have expressed no confidence on the judge on an apprehension of not getting justice from the court in the case.
After that, Advocate Sanaullah Miah, one of the counsel for Khaleda, sought bail extension for Khaleda Zia in the case.
He also sought an adjournment of hearing as senior lawyers would take part in the final arguments. They are currently facing many criminal cases filed by the government recently.
However, the senior lawyers’ secured bail from the High Court in the cases, he informed.
He said that the BNP chairperson would hear the argument after recovery from the illness. I prayed to the court to order on the government to take steps to provide treatment for Khaleda, Miah said.
Opposing his submission, ACC lawyer Mosarraf Hossain Kajol prayed to the court for hearing final arguments of the case.
He told the court that if the defence lawyers would not take part in the final arguments, the court should fix a date for delivering its verdict on the case.
After concluding hearing from both sides, the court fixed September 30 for delivering its orders on the all petitions filed by the defence for adjournment and no confidence while prosecution filed for fixing a date for delivering its verdict on the case.
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 the hearing, 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 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.- Special Correspondent
