The Appellate Division has upheld a High Court order granting bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.
A four-member bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order on Wednesday after rejecting appeals filed by the state and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The High Court has also been ordered to resolve Khaleda’s appeal challenging her conviction by July 31.
Former prime minister Khaleda was sentenced to five years in jail on February 8 for embezzling donations meant for the orphanage. She has since been kept at the old Dhaka central jail.
Five others, including her son Tarique Rahman, were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and fined Tk2.1 crore each for their role in the crime.
Khaleda had secured four months' bail from the High Court on March 12. Two days later, the ACC and the state filed two leave-to-appeal petitions with the Appellate Division challenging her bail.
Later, the apex court on March 19 stayed the bail until May 8.
Hearings on the appeal petitions filed by the state and the ACC were held on May 8 and 9.
The ACC had filed the case on July 3, 2008, against Khaleda, her son Tarique, and four others for misappropriating Tk2.1 crore from the trust fund.
