Khaleda Zia granted bail

In presence of the BNP chief, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Kamrul Hossain Molla accepted the charge sheets against Khaleda in six cases amid opposition of her lawyers. Of the six cases, on January 25, Supreme Court lawyer Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi filed the sedition case against Khaleda on charge of her alleged defamatory remarks about the number of the Liberation War martyrs. The other five cases were filed with Darussalam Police Station on charge of violence in the area in January and February last year during blockade and hartal of the BNP-led alliance. Meanwhile, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was granted bail in 10 cases including the aforesaid six after she surrendered before several Dhaka courts. The BNP chief surrendered before the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Kamrul Hossain Molla in eight violence cases filed with Darus Salam Police Station. Khaleda also surrendered before the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Nurunnahar  Yeasmin in another violence case filed with Darus Salam Police Station. The court granted bail to Khaleda on her furnishing a personal bond of Tk10,000. The nine cases of Darus Salam Police Station were filed on charge of violence in the area during the BNP-led alliance blockade and hartal in January and February last year. The former prime minister also appeared before the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Kamrul Hossain Molla and sought fresh bail in a sedition case. Accepting her bail petition the court accepted the sedition charges against Khaleda in the case and fixed October 10 for charge framing hearing against her in the case. Khaleda also gave her appearance before the Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-2 of Judge Hosne Ara Begum in the Barapukuria Coalmine Graft Case. The court fixed September 8 for the next hearing. On February 26, 2008, the ACC filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station accusing Khaleda and 15 others, including 10 ministers, for causing a loss of Tk159cr to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for the operation of Barapukuria coalmine to a Chinese company by abusing power. The former prime minister also appeared before the Dhaka’s Ninth Special Judge’s Court in the Niko Graft Case where judge Md Aminul Islam set August 16 for charge framing hearing in the case. On December 9, 2007, the ACC filed a graft case against Khaleda Zia and four others in connection with a Tk137.77cr loss to the national exchequer caused by the signing of an oil-gas exploration agreement with Niko. Earlier in the day, Khaleda Zia reached Dhaka Judge’s Court around 11:45am to give appearance and also for seeking bail in 12 cases amid tight security in and out of the court. A large number of members of RAB, Police and plainclothes members were deployed at the court premises and its nearby areas since yesterday morning following the Khaleda’s appearance in the court. The security forces searched everyone before letting them through and even lawyers and journalists had to produce their identities. Meanwhile, several hundred leaders and activists of BNP and its wing organizations gathered on the court premises and its adjacent areas and they also blockaded the nearby Sadarghat-Gulistan road for several hours amid rain. Khaleda’s counsels Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, AJ Mohammad Ali took part in the hearing at the court.