DHAKA: A Dhaka court on Wednesday issued arrest warrant against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and two others in Zia Orphanage and Charitable Trusts Graft cases.
Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar of Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-3 at capital’s Bakshibazar passed the order canceling bail for Khaleda Zia in the two cases.
The two accused are former MP Kazi Saleemul Haq Kamal alias Econo Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed.
The warrant was issued against the BNP chief as she did not appear before the makeshift court in Bakshibazar area Wednesday showing security reasons.
Khaleda Zia again skipped the appearance before the court and her lawyers filed two time petitions seeking deferment of the trial proceedings.
After hearing the petitions, the court cancelled her bail and issued arrest warrant saying “Lawyers of Khaleda Zia were asked to produce their client before the court on Wednesday but they did not do that.”
Besides, in 63 hearing dates in the two cases, the BNP chairperson appeared before the court only for seven days, the court added.
Later, the court started recording deposition of deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Harun-ur-Rashid, also plaintiff of the cases, in Zia Orphanage graft case.
Zia Orphanage Trust Case
The ACC filed the graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman and four others of misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore which came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.
The other accused are former BNP lawmaker Kazi Saleemul Haque, businessperson Sharfuddin Ahmed, Khaleda's former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui and Momenur Rahman.
Zia Charitable Trust Case
On August 8, 2011, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.
The other accused in the case are Harris Chowdhury, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) to Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS to Sadeque Hossain Khoka, mayor of the erstwhile Dhaka City Corporation.
BDST: 1056 HRS, FEB 25, 2015
