Zia Charitable Trust case: Khaleda skips hearing for illness, court extends bail until Apr 5

The argument hearing in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case has been postponed as chief suspect BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia could not be taken to court on Wednesday due to her physical ailments.

Khaleda, a three-time prime minister, is serving a five-year jail term in the old jailhouse on Nazimuddin Road after being convicted on Feb 8 in a separate case that involves Zia Orphanage Trust.

A makeshift court of Judge Md Akhteruzzaman, not far from the jail building, set Apr 5 for the hearing.

On Mar 13, the court partially heard arguments of Ziaul Islam Munna, another suspect in the case and asked Khaleda to appear on Mar 28 and 29 for the next hearings.

ACC counsel Mosharraf Hossain said: “It is jail authorities’ duty to present Khaleda Zia in court.”

The judge extended Khaleda’s bail to Apr 5 on a petition by her counsel Sanaullah Mia.

Security was beefed up around the special trial court since Wednesday morning.

A number of police personnel and water cannons were seen in the area. Lawyers and journalists had to go through security checks to enter the court.

Abdur Rezak Khan, Sanaullah Mia, Masud Ahmed Talukder, Aminul Islam, Nuruzzaman Tapan were present in court.

On Aug 8, 2010 the Anti-Corruption Commission filed a case against four BNP leaders, including Khaleda, accusing them of embezzling Tk 31.54 million from the Zia Charitable Trust case.

The charges were submitted on Jan 16, 2012 by the ACC investigating officer. On Mar 19, 2013 the suspects were indicted.

The others accused in the case are Khaleda’s former political secretary Harris Chowdhury, his former personal assistant Ziaul Islam Munna, who is now the acting director (naval security and traffic) of BIWTA, and former Dhaka City mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka’s personal assistant Monirul Islam Khan.