HC acquits BNP chief Khaleda Zia in Zia Charitable Trust corruption case

The High Court has also acquitted the two others accused alongside Khaleda in the case, according to the BNP chief’s defence team

The High Court has acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

A judge’s court had sentenced Khaleda to seven years in prison six years ago under the Awami League government and fined her Tk 1 million.

The bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain overturned the decision based on an appeal by Khaleda on Wednesday.

Lawyers Zainul Abedin and Kayser Kamal represented Khaleda in court, while lawyer Asif Hasan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission and Deputy Attorney General Md Jashim Sarkar represented the state.

The High Court has also acquitted the two others accused alongside Khaleda in the case, Kayser said after the verdict was delivered.

They are Ziaul Islam, then personal secretary to Haris Chowdhury, and Monirul Islam Khan, then personal secretary to former mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

On Feb 8, 2018, former prime minister Khaleda was sentenced to prison for five years in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case and sent to jail. The appeal in the case was then heard by the High Court, which extended the jail sentence to 10 years.

On Oct 29, 2018, Khaleda was sentenced to prison for seven years in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case. On Apr 30 the following year, the High Court accepted a petition to appeal the case, but no hearings were held afterwards.

The BNP chief was released from jail by executive order in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The order was extended every six months by the government, but prevented her from travelling abroad.

After the fall of the Awami League government during a mass protest, President Md Shahabuddin remitted her sentence on Aug 6 under Article 49 of the Constitution.

A Bangabhaban statement noted that the decision followed discussions between the president and various political leaders, civil society members, and leaders of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement.

Article 49 grants the president the authority to “grant pardons, reprieves and respites and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority.”

However, under the law, while the president’s clemency can remit a sentence, it does not nullify the conviction. A person convicted by a court remains ineligible to run for elections for five years after their release.

Explaining the reason for pursuing the appeal, Kayser said, “Khaleda Zia wishes to be declared innocent by the court. That is why we have filed for an expedited hearing in the Charitable Trust case.”