A Dhaka court will deliver the verdict of the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, and three others, on Monday.
Judge Akhtaruzzaman of Special Judge’s Court 5, set up in Old Dhaka Central Jail on Nazimuddin Road, set the date on October 16.
The three other accused are Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to former prime minister Khaleda; Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary to Harris; and Monirul Islam Khan, assistant private secretary to former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.
Among them, Harris Chowdhury is absconding while the others are behind bars.
On February 8, the same court had sentenced Khaleda to five years imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.
The BNP chairperson is now undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University supervised by a special medical board formed by the government.
On September 20, Dhaka Special Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman said the trial could proceed in the BNP chief’s absence—while she refused to appear in court.
Later, her lawyers filed a petition challenging the decision.
On October 14, the High Court rejected the petition and declared that the trial proceedings against the BNP chief could proceed in her absence.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case against Khaleda, and three others, at Tejgaon police station on August 8, 2011.
According to the case statement, the former prime minister and three others abused their power and raised Tk3.15 crore for the trust from unknown sources.
On January 16, 2012, ACC submitted a charge sheet against four accused including Khaleda. The trial started on March 19, 2013.
After depositions of the case’s witnesses were recorded, on December 1, 2017, Khaleda Zia appeared before the court and placed her statement of self-defensein the case.
Rejecting allegations of corruption in her statement, the BNP chief claimed herself innocent and demanded justice in the case.