Khaleda gets bail after surrender

A Dhaka court on Tuesday granted bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in two graft cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of Dhaka’s Fifth Special Judges Court passed the order after the former prime minister, accompanied by her lawyers, surrendered before the court and sought bail.

The court on November 30 issued warrant to arrest the BNP chief as she refrain from appearing before the court citing security problem on that day.

The ACC on July 3, 2008, filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case with Ramna Police Station, accusing Khaleda, her son Tarique Rahman and four others for embezzlement of over Taka 21 million brought from abroad for using the welfare of the orphans.

The other accused in the case are former lawmaker Salimul Haque Kamal, businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, Dr Kamal Uddin Siddiqui and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s nephew Mominur Rahman.

The anti-graft body lodged Zia Charitable Trust graft case against Khaleda Zia and four others with Tejgaon Police Station on August 8 in 2011 for embezzling Taka 31.5 million from the trust.

The accused were indicted in the cases on March 19, 2014.