DHAKA: Expressing concern about her security, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will not surrender before the court on Wednesday amid arrest warrant issued against her in Zia Orphanage and Charitable Trust graft cases.

Hearing of the petition for withdrawal of arrest warrant against the BNP chairperson is set to be held this morning.

Khaleda Zia’s panel lawyer Sanaullah Mia confirmed the matter to banglanews.

She will remain busy for the Chehlum of Arafat Rahman KoKo, her youngest son, to be held at her Gulshan office on Wednesday, said Khaleda Zia’s media wing members.

The BNP chief would not surrender before the court on Wednesday to seek bail in two graft cases. 

She decided not to leave her Gulshan office where she has been staying since January 3. 

Earlier on Tuesday, lawyers of the BNP chief filed petition to the court, which issued the arrest warrants, seeking withdrawal of its orders.

Later, Special Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar of Bakshibazar makeshift court fixed Wednesday for hearing of the petition.

Khaleda filed two more petitions with the High Court seeking stay on the arrest warrant.

On February 25, the court issued the arrest warrant against three persons including, the BNP chief and vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, also son of Khaleda Zia, as they were absent in the hearing of the two cases for a long period.

The court also ordered BNP vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, also son of Khaleda Zia, to appear before the court on Wednesday.

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: 0848 HRS, MAR 04, 2015