Khaleda appears in court to defend herself in Orphanage Trust graft case

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has appeared before the court to provide her defence statement in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

The former prime minister is being tried at the court of Dhaka's Third Special Judge Abu Ahmad Jamadar, set up at Dhaka's Bakshibazar.

The judge had told Khaleda's counsels during the last hearing on Jan 26 that he would scrap bail for Khaleda, the prime accused, if she failed to attend Monday's hearing.

The BNP chief arrived at the court premises just after 11am, said her lawyer Sanaullah Mia.

On Jan 26, the court also issued a warrant for Khaleda's son Tarique Rahman. The same day, it recorded testimonies of two others defending themselves -- former MP Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed.

In 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against six including Khaleda and her son Tarique Rahman.

It alleged that the defendants had embezzled Tk 21 million from funds meant for the trust, which reportedly came from a foreign bank.

The ACC pressed charges on six persons in August 2009 and submitted the chargesheet to the court.

The two others accused in the case -- former principal secretary to the PM Kamal Uddin Siddique and one Maminur Rahman, nephew of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, are absconding.

The trial began in March 2014 after the court indicted the six.