Lord Carlile, an eminent British lawyer who will serve as the legal counsel of jailed BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, has expressed his interest in visiting Bangladesh in person.
The lawyer made the disclosure through an email sent to the Bangla Tribune on Tuesday.
“I am optimistic that I will visit Bangladesh to carry out my duties,” the email read. “A capable legal team is already working there, and I will offer my counsel to them. I will pay special attention on a fair judicial system and the freedom of the court.”
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday announced that Lord Carlile has been appointed as the legal counsel for the BNP chief, who was sentenced last month to five years in prison for her part in embezzling funds from a charitable trust set up in the name of her late husband.
When asked whether he inspected any documents related to the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, Lord Carlile said: “I have viewed some documents, and I will view some more. I am a bit concerned about the evidence collection process.”
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Responding to a query about his interest in this particular case, the British lawyer stated: “As a barrister, I am interested in cases related to fraud and corruption.
“As the chairman of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, I have a penchant for observing a fair trial... The organization is quite interested in learning about the freedom of judiciary and distribution of power in Bangladesh.”
Addressing the issue of his fee, the lawyer said his remuneration would depend on his duties and work.
In a separate interview on the same day, Lord Carlile revealed that he will provide legal counsel to Khaleda Zia in accordance with the international laws and Code of Criminal Procedure of Bangladesh.
The British lawyer, who is also a Crossbench member of the House of Lords, specializes in cases relating to serious crimes, local government and licenses, government laws regarding planning and professional discipline.
He also has significant experience in dealing with corporate fraud and white collar crimes.This article was first published on banglatribune.com