by Staff CorrespondentDhaka – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is likely to pass verdict on Wednesday in an appeal filed against conviction and sentencing of former prime minister Khaleda Zia in a graft case involving embezzlement of funds meant for orphans, court officials said.
The Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed fixed the date after hearing the petition on Tuesday, Kaiser Kamal, the counsel of Zia told reporters..
Zia, also the chief of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, was sentenced to 5 years in jail by a trial court in 2018 for allegedly embezzling funds of the Zia Orphanage Trust, a charity named after her husband and slain former president Ziaur Rahman. The sentence was doubled to 10 years by a High Court in the same year.
Counsel Kamal hoped for a fair outcome in the appeal verdict.
“We hope that Khaleda Zia and all the accused will get justice,” he said adding that the BNP chief was subjected to harassment by the previous regime of Sheikh Hasina.
The Appellate Division’s directive to settle the appeal within four months before the 2018 parliamentary election prevented Khaleda Zia from contesting the polls. This was an unprecedented move in the history of Bangladesh, said Kamal
The appeal relates to a case filed against Khaleda and several others, which Kamal described as “malicious” and motivated by “personal and political vendettas.”
On November 11, 2024, the Appellate Division had suspended Khaleda Zia’s 10-year sentence, granting her permission to appeal the High Court’s decision. The top court also instructed her to submit the appeal summary within two weeks.
The Chamber Court had earlier fixed November 10 for hearing Khaleda’s ‘leave to appeal’ application.
Background of the Case
On February 8, 2018, Special Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years in prison in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. Others convicted included her son and BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman, former Magura MP Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal, businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, and Mominur Rahman, all of whom received 10-year sentences.
Khaleda appealed the verdict on February 20, 2018. Subsequently, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) requested the High Court to extend her prison term. On October 30, 2018, a High Court bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman increased Khaleda’s sentence from five years to 10 years.
