Court Correspondent :
The judgment in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case against BNP Chief Begum Khaleda Zia and three others will be delivered on October 29.
Judge Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Court-5 of Dhaka fixed the date after rejecting the petition filed by Khaleda Zia’s lawyer seeking adjournment of the hearing as they will challenge the High Court order that cleared the way for holding the trail in the case in absence of Khaleda Zia.
Meanwhile, the court also extended bail to Khaleda Zia, who is now in the prison in the Zia Orphanage trust graft case.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case against Khaleda Zia and three others with Tejgaon Model Police Station in August, 2011. According to the case statement, the former Prime Minister and three others abused their power and raised funds for the trust from unknown sources.
The three others are Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) to Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS to former Dhaka City Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.
Defence lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder told newsmen, they will move the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against yesterday’s lower court order of verdict delivery.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is already in lthe prison, serving a five-year term after conviction in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
