Staff Reporter :
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday filed a petition with the High Court challenging the trial court’s decision to continue the trial proceedings of Zia Charitable Trust case against her in her absence.
In the petition, she sought a stay on the trial proceedings of Zia Charitable Trust case and also prayed to the High Court to issue a rule upon the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the State to explain as to why the lower court decision to run the trial of the case in her absence should not be scrapped.
On September 20, a Dhaka court exempted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from personal appearance before it and decided to continue the trial of the Zia Charitable Trust case inside Old Dhaka Central Jail in her absence. Khaleda challenges that order in the revision petition filed yesterday.
Earlier, on September 5, Khaleda appeared before the court and said that she would not appear before it for hearing as she was ill.
Citing from the petition, Khaleda Zia’s lawyer told the reporters that the lower court decision to continue the trial proceedings of the case against the BNP chief in her absence is illegal and unconstitutional.
The court cannot run the trial of an accused if he or she is physically sick.
He also said, the court has been set up in an abandoned Old Dhaka Central Jail which is unlawful and unconstitutional.
Barrister Kaiser Kamal said, they will move the petition in the HC very soon.
The Special Court-5 in Dhaka on September 20 ordered that the trial proceedings of Zia Charitable Trust case will be held in absence of Khaleda Zia as she refused to appear before the court.
