Khaleda’s wait for bail decision continues

The High Court has ended its hearing on a bail petition by BNP chief Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, but a decision has not been issued.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 25 Feb 2018, 10:08 AM
Updated : 25 Feb 2018, 11:14 AM

After a hearing that lasted over an hour, Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sahidul Karim said the court would make its decision after it received the case documents from the trial court.

The same bench on Feb 22 agreed to hear Khaleda’s appeal and gave the trial court 15 days to send the court documents. Thirteen days still remain on the deadline.

It means Khaleda will have to wait longer to receive a decision on her bail appeal.

On Feb 8, the Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-5 sentenced former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to five years in prison over the graft case.

The five other convicts, including Khaleda’s son Tarique Rahman, was sentenced to 10 years in prison over the case. The convicts were also filed Tk 21 million each.

According to the verdict, the suspects had committed a state financial crime by emblezzling money intended for state orphanages.

The BNP chief’s lawyers appealed the verdict at the High Court on Feb 20 after receiving a ceritified copy of the 1,168-page decision. They petitioned for bail on Feb 22.

The 1,223-page appeal petition includes the main verdict and 44 justifications for Khaleda Zia’s release. The 880-page bail petition includes 48-pages explaining 32 reasons for her release.

The High Court has stayed the fine against the BNP chairperson until her appeal is settled.

The court had set Sunday for the hearing due to a delay in when the ACC received a copy of the bail petition.