The High Court (HC) on Monday adjourned till today (Tuesday), the hearing on a writ petition filed by BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia challenging the legality of the government notification that said the Niko case trial against her will be held at a special court in Keraniganj Central Jail.
The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Md Khairul Alam adjourned the hearing as her counsellors sought more time to produce sufficient documents before it, Barrister Mir Helal Uddin, one of the counsellor for Khaleda Zia told the reporters.
Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Advocate A J Mohammad Ali, Barrister Kayser Kamal and Barrister Mir Helal Uddin appeared for Khaleda Zia, while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the ACC and Additional Attorney General Murad Reza argued for the state.
On May 12, the Law Ministry issued the gazette notification, saying that trials of 17 criminal cases, including the Niko, against Khaleda would be held at a special court set up at building-2 of Keraniganj Central Jail for security reasons.
On May 26, 2019, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the legality of the government notification, which says Niko case trial against her will be held at a special court inside Keraniganj Central Jail instead of a Dhaka court.
Citing the petition, Barrister Kayser Kamal, a lawyer for Khaleda, told the reporters that the gazette notification issued by the Law Ministry transferring the court for holding trial of Niko case is contradictory to the relevant provision of the Constitution and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
The trial in the Niko graft case was being held at a special court set up inside the Old Dhaka Central Jail and the trials of the 16 other cases were taking place at a makeshift court at the Government Alia Madrasa in the capital’s Bakshibazar.
Khaleda Zia landed in jail on February 8 last year after a Dhaka court sentenced her to five years imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust case. The High Court on October 30 last year enhanced the punishment of Khaleda to 10 years imprisonment in this case.
Besides, a Dhaka court on October 29 last year convicted Khaleda Zia and sentenced her to seven years’ imprisonment in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.
