Dhaka: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has appeared before the court in Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust cases on Sunday morning.
Earlier, after three months, she came out of her political office at city’s Gulshan area at around 10:00am.
Police sources said ahead of her appearance in the makeshift court in city’s Alia Madrasa ground, the security measures have been boosted up in Gulshan and adjacent areas of the court.
Former Prime minister Khaleda Zia will return home from the court, said BNP political office sources to the media this morning.
Meanwhile, Sanaullah Miah, a counsel for Khaleda, submitted two separate bail petitions before the Special Judge's Court-3 in the two graft cases On Sunday.
Witness depositions in the Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases are scheduled to be held on the day.
The hearing on the defence’s plea to withdraw the arrest warrant for Khaleda Zia will also be held on Sunday.
Earlier on Mar 4, the Dhaka Third Special Judge court set the date after rejecting the defence’s plea to withdraw an arrest warrant for the former prime minister.
Earlier on Thursday, Khaleda Zia’s top lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, said that the BNP chief will appear before the court in two draft cases, but the government has to ensure that she will not be attacked on her way to court.
While replying a query on necessity of security, he said earlier on December 24, Khaleda Zia’s motorcade was attacked on way to appear before the court.
On February 25, an arrest warrant was issued against Khaleda Zia after she skipped appearing before court during several hearings.
Zia Orphanage 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: 1040 HRS, APR 05, 2015
BD/AKA/SMS
** Khaleda on way to court
** Khaleda getting ready for court
** Khaleda to appear in court Sunday
