Zia orphanage graft case: HC to hear Khaleda’s plea February 13

The bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty fixed the date on Wednesday. Khaleda’s counsel Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon placed the petition before the court on Wednesday. The petition was filed on February 2. The case is currently in the final stage. The former premier has already given her statement in the case before the court of Dhaka's Third Special Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar. During the next hearing Thursday, the defence is set to produce alibi witnesses. The other graft case which is being dealt with by the same court, involving Zia Charitable Trust, is also in the last stage. The deposition of Khaleda has remained incomplete. She plead not guilty in both the cases, terming them as politically-motivated. Earlier, Khaleda had moved the High Court against the same special court judge after she was indicted in the case in 2014. But the petitions were rejected. On January 30, she submitted an application to the court of Judge Abu Jamadar, seeking a fresh investigation into the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. The former premier also expressed no confidence in the judge. The court on February 2 dismissed the petition. Later, she moved for the High Court to transfer the case from the special court. In 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against six people, including Khaleda and her eldest son Tarique Rahman, for allegedly misusing Tk2.1 crore from the funds of the Zia Orphanage Trust. In addition, the ACC in 2011 accused the BNP chief and three others of misappropriating Tk3.15 crore from the Zia Charitable Trust fund.