The Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka yesterday will pass order on September 20 regarding continuation of the Zia Charitable Trust graft case in the prison in absence of Khaleda Zia.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyers filed a petition to continue the trial proceedings in the absence of the accused under Section 540
‘A’ of the Penal Code. The judge heard the petition and then set Sept 20 for his decision.
Judge Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Court instructed that steps will be taken according to the prison regulations regarding her lawyers’ petition to visit her in jail and checking of her health condition.
Khaleda was represented by Advocates Masud Ahmed Talukdar and Sanaullah Mia during the hearing.
Advocate Aminul Islam represented accused Ziaul Islam Munna, lawyer Md Akhtaruzzaman pleaded for suspect Monirul Islam Khan while Mosharraf Hossain Kajol stood for the ACC.
Khaleda Zia has been serving a sentence since February 8 in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
She has not appeared in court for the past seven months due to her ‘illness’. The government instructed a temporary court to be set up at the prison in Old Dhaka where Khaleda Zia is incarcerated to continue the trial there.
On Sept 5, the first day of proceedings at the temporary court premises, Khaleda Zia said that she could not come to court so many times and that the judge can sentence her to as long a prison term as he likes.
“The prosecution says that Begum Khaleda Zia said that she cannot come to the court,” Judge Akhtaruzzaman said on Wednesday, the date of the last scheduled hearing. This means that she does not wish to come.
The court then set September 20 to decide whether to continue with the trial in her absence.
