Khaleda Zia, the chief of BNP and 20-party alliance which have been observing back-to-back hartals and blockades since January 6, is set to appear before a Dhaka court today apparently violating her own agitation programmes.
She will seek bail from the court of Dhaka’s Third Special Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar in Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust corruption cases.
Khaleda will start for the court at 9am. She might go back to her home after the court proceeding was over, a senior leader said.
The court issued arrest warrants against her on February 25 for repeated absence during the proceedings. On March 4, the court set today for trial rejecting a defence plea to withdraw the arrest warrant against Khaleda, the prime accused in both cases. However, the arrest warrant is yet to reach the Gulshan police station.
Until yesterday evening, it was not clear whether she would return to her Gulshan office from the court today or go to her residence.
“There is a possibility that she may appear before the court, but it depends on the situation,” Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan told reporters yesterday.
One of her counsels Sanaullah Mia said: “She wants to attend the hearings and she will. But everything depends on the current situation; especially, her security is a major concern.
“[If everything is favourable] she will reach the court around 11:30am.”
The three-time former prime minister has been staying at her Gulshan office since January 3. Since then, senior party leaders have been saying that she will not leave the place until the ongoing movement demanding fresh polls gets a rational achievement.
Her chief counsel Khandaker Mahbub Hossain on Thursday demanded “assurance of security” as a condition for her appearance at court.
