ACC seeks seven-year jail term for Khaleda in Zia Charitable Trust graft case

The lawyer for the Anti-Corruption Commission in Zia Charitable Trust graft case has sought a seven-year prison term for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Dhaka’s Special Judge’s Court No 5 at Bakhshibazar heard arguments on Tuesday in the presence of the former prime minister.

Mosharraf Hossain Kajal, the counsel for the anti-graft agency, started presenting his arguments after Khaleda arrived in court around noon.

He told the court that Khaleda had formed the trust when she was prime minister between 2001 and 2006 abusing her power to make profits for herself and others.

“We want Khaleda Zia to be sentenced to seven years in jail in this case,” he said.  

To back his claim that Khaleda had formed the trust for personal gains, Mosharraf alleged she had not mentioned her profession while opening the bank account for the trust.  

“She was prime minister at the time and the office of the prime minister is an institution. She concealed her position and formed the Zia Charitable Trust in name only,” he said.

The trial of Khaleda and three others in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case over alleged embezzlement of around Tk 31.55 million is under way amid BNP protests ahead of the delivery of a verdict in another graft case against the party chief. 

The judge of the court, Md Akhtaruzzaman, is set to deliver the verdict in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on Feb 8.  

The BNP alleges the trial of Khaleda is part of a conspiracy to keep the party out of the general elections, an allegation the ruling Awami League denies, saying the courts are acting independently now.

The ACC started the Zia Charitable Trust graft case in 2010 against the BNP chief and three others for embezzlement of Tk 31.5 million.

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.

Harris has been absconding since the case was started while Munna and Monirul made appearances in court.

After the State presented its arguments on Tuesday, the lawyer for Munna started presenting his arguments.

After hearing him for some minutes, the judge adjourned the hearing until Wednesday.