Staff Reporter :The High Court on Thursday deferred the hearing of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s petitions seeking the change of trial court for two graft charges and a stay on the arrest warrant against her till March 12. A High Court bench comprising Justices Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Md Khasruzzaman took the decision.Khaleda Zia is facing the charges of misappropriation of money from Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust. Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) earlier filed the cases against the BNP Chairperson. In the hearing, the counsel of ACC Advocate Md Khurshid Alam Khan argued that as per law Khaleda Zia is “a fugitive now and she cannot file the petition with the High Court.” “She could considered a fugitive in the eyes of law. Besides, there is a designated bench in the High Court to hear the cases of ACC. So, she cannot file the cases with the High Court,” he said. However, the court deferred the hearing till March 12. Later, Advocate Md Khurshid Alam Khan told the journalists that they have placed their submissions but the court did not give any decision in this regard. “We placed our arguments. But the court is yet to hear the petitions of Khaleda Zia. The court may decide whether it will hear the petitions or not during next date of hearing,” he said. Khaleda Zia filed the petitions on January 28 with the Hign Court against Abu Ahmed Jamadar, the judge of the Special Judge Court-3. She expressed her apprehension in the petitions, saying that she would not get justice from his court.She sought the HC’s direction to transfer the cases to another judge’s court.Abu Ahmed Jamadar issued arrest warrant against Khaleda Zia, turning down her bail petition on February 25. Later, Khaleda Zia also included a supplementary petition with the High Court seeking a stay on her arrest warrant.
