HC on Zia Charitable Trust case: Trial can proceed without Khaleda Zia

The High Court has declared that the Zia Charitable Trust graft case trial can proceed in the absence of BNP chief Khaleda Zia, dismissing a petition from her lawyers.

The High Court bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice S M Kuddus Zaman made the decision on Thursday after dismissing the revision petition from Khaleda’s team.

As a result, there are no further legal barriers to court proceedings in the absence of the BNP chairperson, state lawyers said.

Lawyer AJ Mohammad Ali represented Khaleda Zia at the hearing, while the Anti-Corruption Commission was represented by Khurshid Alam Khan.

Dhaka Special Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman decided on Sept 20 that the trial could proceed in the absence of Khaleda because she was refusing to appear in court ‘of her own volition’. Khaleda’s lawyers challenged the decision with a revision petition to the High Court.

“A hearing was held on the petition on Oct 10. Today the court has directly dismissed the petition, meaning that the trial will proceed in Khaleda Zia’s absence,” Khurshid said.

The ACC had filed the corruption case with Tejgaon Police Station in 2010, accusing Khaleda and three others of embezzling Tk 31.54 million from the Zia Charitable Trust. The trial began at a makeshift court inside the jailhouse.

The BNP chief had been sent to jail on Feb 8 when a special court sentenced her to five years in prison for corruption in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

She was transferred to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on Oct 6 for her medical treatment.