Khaleda`s graft cases hearing Aug 10

A Dhaka court today set August 10 for the next hearing of the two graft cases - Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust - against BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

Judge Abu Ahmed Jomadar of the Special Judge`s Court-3 fixed the date after recording statements on cross-examination of the complainant.

Khaleda today appeared before the court during hearing in the Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases around 10:30am.

Khandakar Mahbub Hossain, lawyer for Khaleda, during today’s hearing completed cross-examination of Harun-or-Rashid, deputy director of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), in Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

Khaleda left the court around 1:15pm. Earlier she appeared before the court on July 23.

Zia Charitable Trust graft case

On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the case with Tejgaon police station against four people -- Khaleda, her former political secretary Harris Chowdhury, his assistant personal secretary Ziaul Islam Munna and Manirul Islam Khan, former personal secretary of BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka -- on charge of abusing power for collecting funds from unknown sources.

The IO of the case, pressed charges against the accused on January 16, 2012.

Of them, Harris has been staying abroad since 2007 while Ziaul and Monirul are now on bail.

Zia Orphanage Trust graft case

The ACC filed the case with Ramna police station on July 3, 2008, accusing Khaleda, her son Tarique Rahman and four others, for misappropriating over Tk2.10 crore from the trust, the amount came as “grants” from a foreign bank.

The four accused are Mominur Rahman, nephew of late president Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda’s former Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Uddin Siddique, and BNP’s former lawmakers Kazi Salimul Haque and Sharfuddin Ahmed.

On August 5, 2010, the IO of the case submitted charge sheet.