Dhaka, 04 Jan – The Emir of the State of Kuwait had given the money for the Zia Orphanage Trust as donation to preserve the memories of former president Ziaur Rahman.“The money did not come from Saudi Arabia; rather it was given by the head of state of Kuwait for the Zia Orphanage Trust as donation,” Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali, counsel for Khaleda Zia, came up with the observations after providing some documents before the Dhaka Court, which was collected from Kuwait embassy.
During the arguments, Ali also told the court that the government filed the case against BNP chief after collecting baseless, fake and fabricated documents.
Ali told the court that he has written to the Kuwait Emir on August 11 in 2015 to know the main purpose of sending the money for the Zia Orphanage Trust. In a reply massage, the Kuwait Emir said that he told me that he was given the money for the Zia Orphanage Trust only to preserve the memory of president Ziaur Rahman, AJ Mohammad Ali told the court.
Ali also claimed that the documents of the case were prepared with fabricated information as the investigation could not prove that where the fund money was distributed.
Even no witness could show that Khaleda Zia had signed any paper, he added.
After concluding yesterday’s hearing, Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the makeshift court at Alia Madrasa premises in Bakshibazar fixed January 10, 11 for next hearing in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
On July 3, 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda Zia, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that had come as grants for orphans from a foreign bank.
According to the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, the then prime minister Khaleda and the other accused through unlawful practices embezzled over Tk 2.10 crore by establishing the trust that exists only on paper.
The complainant alleged that on June 9 in 1991, a grant of $1,255,000, equivalent to about Tk 4.45 crore at the time, was transferred from United Saudi Commercial Bank to Prime Minister’s Orphanage Fund — a fund that was created by the then premier Khaleda shortly before the transfer of the grant as part of the embezzlement scheme. Only Khaleda administered the fund.
On August 8, 2011, the commission filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of abuse of power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources. – Staff Reporter
