Trial proceedings to continue in Khaleda’s absence

Staff Correspondent: A Dhaka court on Thursday ordered that the trial proceedings in Zia Charitable Trust corruption case will continue at the Old Central Jail in absence of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Judge Md Akhteruzzaman of Special Judge Court-5 passed the order following a petition submitted by the prosecution.

The court also fixed September 24, 25 and 26 for placing arguments.

Aminul Islam, a lawyer for another accused in the case Ziaul Islam Munna, presented partial arguments on Thursday.

Anti-Corruption Commission lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajol filed a petition on September 13 to deliver the verdict in the case seeking completion of trial in the absence of Khaleda as she did not appear before the court for the last several months due to her illness.

Later, the court fixed to deliver verdict on September 20.

On September 4, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry issued a gazette notification to hold the trial of Khaleda Zia in the case at the Old Dhaka Central Jail after setting up a makeshift court there.

The following day,Khaleda was produced before the special court-5 when she stated that she is sick and she will neither be able to appear before the court repeatedly nor can stay there for a long time.

The case was filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with Tejgaon Police Station in August, 2011 accusing Khaleda Zia and three others of abusing power to raise funds for the trust from unknown sources.

The other three accused are Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary to Harris and Monirul Islam Khan, APS to former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

The BNP chairperson is now at Nazimuddin Road central jail, serving five years' rigorous imprisonment as she was convicted in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on February 8 this year.
 

risingbd/Dhaka/September 20, 2018/Mamun/A K Azad