UNB, Dhaka: A Dhaka court on Thursday adjourned till July 23 the hearing on Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar of Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 passed the order in response to two separate time petitions filed by Khaleda’s lawyer Khandakar Mahbub Hossain, seeking an adjournment of the graft cases. The defence had earlier submitted a writ petition with the High Court on June 16 for expunging the statement of the complainant of the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, which is now pending. Earlier, Khaleda appeared before the makeshift court set up in the playground of Govt Alia Madrasa in the capital’s Bakshibazar at about 10:35am amid tight security from her Gulshan residence. Earlier on May 5, the court adjourned till today (June 18) the hearing on the two graft cases against Khaleda in her presence. The court recorded partial statement of ACC deputy director Harunur Rashid, also plaintiff of both the cases. Khandakar Mahbub Hossain cross-examined the plaintiff. All other accused, besides Khaleda, were present during the hearing. On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of raising funds from unknown sources for the trust abusing power. ACC deputy director Harunur Rashid, also an investigation officer of the case, pressed charges against the accused on January 16, 2012. Besides, the ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda Zia, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, now living in the UK after securing bail, and four others for misappropriating over Tk2.10 crore which came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans. On August 5, 2010, Harunur Rashid submitted a charge-sheet to the court in the case against six people, including BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
