Staff Reporter :
BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s lawyers hoped that they would be able to receive the certified copy of the verdict of the Zia Orphanage Trust case today (Wednesday). If they get the certified copy, they would file appeal petition with the High Court by Thursday. Now the lawyers are taking preparation to file appeal petition.
Barrister A M Mahbub Uddin Khokan, one of the lawyers for Khaleda Zia, said, at first they would file appeal petition against the verdict with the High Court and then they would submit bail petition.
Advocate Sanaullah Miah, another lawyer for Khaleda Zia, on Tuesday told the journalists that they have communicated with the judge of the Special Court-5 of Dhaka to get the certified copy of the judgement and
the judge had assured them to supply the certified copy within Wednesday. If they get the copy today they would file the appeal petition by Thursday.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been jailed for five years after she was found guilty in the controversial Zia Orphanage Trust graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman and four others, former lawmaker Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal, businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, Khaleda’s former Principal Secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s nephew Momenur Rahman, have been given 10 years jail in the case and a fine of Tk 2.10 crore each in the case BNP claimed as politically motivated.
Judge of the Special Court-5 in Dhaka, Dr. Md Akhtaruzzaman, sentenced the former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to imprisonment and said the shorter term was given considering “her health and social status.”
As per one Supreme Court lawyer, BNP Chairperson is eligible to get bail in Zia Orphanage Trust case as her sentence is shorter than others. Her (Khaleda) social status is that she is a former Prime Minister. Besides, her gender identity, age, health condition will also be the matter of consideration for the court granting her the bail.
