Arrest warrants have been issued against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in two separate cases filed against her in connection with Zia Orphanage Trust corruption and over undermining the country's map and national flag.
Case for ‘undermining country flag’Metropolitan Magistrate Nur Nabi issued arrest warrant against her as she failed to appear before the court even though the court asked her repeatedly to attend today’s hearing in the case.
According to the case statement, Zia had taken over as the country's president after the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975. He also threatened Hasina and confined her after she arrived in the country from abroad on May 17, 1981.
Khaleda had formed a coalition government with Jamaat-e-Islami in 2001. She appointed ministers from the party and handed over the map and the national flag of independent Bangladesh to them even though they fought against the country during the Liberation War, the statement read.
Zia Orphanage Trust graft caseOn completion of recording of self-defense statements, Judge Akhteruzzaman of the Special Judge Court-5 set up at a makeshift court in Bakshi Bazar passed the order.
The court also fixed October 19 for hearing on arguments in the case.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case on July 3, 2008, with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, her elder son Tarique and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that was received as grants for orphans via a foreign bank.