Court Correspondent :
The Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka yesterday granted bail to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases after the BNP leader surrendered to the court seeking bail in both cases. Judge Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman of court on Tuesday handed down the bail order. Earlier, the BNP Chief appeared before the makeshift special judge court at Bakshibazar area in the old Dhaka at 11am.
Meanwhile, the court set December 19, 20 and 21for arguments in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case as Khaleda Zia completed her statement of self-defence in the case last afternoon. On the same day, the court will hear defence witnesses in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
Khaleda pleaded justice to the court with her statement and alleged that the graft cases were lodged againsst her to keep her away from politics. She made her submission from 11.15 am to 2.25 pm.
On November 30, the court issued arrest warrants against Khaleda Zia cancelling her ad-interim bail as she failed to appear before the court on time.
On July 3, 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case with Ramna Model Police Station accusing Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman, and four others for misappropriating over Tk 21.0 million that came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans. However, Tuesday was fixed for submission of arguments in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Model Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, on charge of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.
