DHAKA: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia filed a petition seeking cancelation of the deposition recorded on May 5 in the Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust cases.

BNP chief’s lawyer Advocate Masud Ahmed Talukder made the plea for the cancellation around 10:35am.

In the plea, Khaleda Zia claimed that the recording of deposition placed by first witness was not lawful as she was absent in the court on the day.

Special Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar is conducting the hearing of deposition and cross-examination in the cases at the makeshift court set up in Alia Madrasa ground in the city.

Earlier on the day, the BNP chairperson started from her Gulshan residence around 9:55am and reached the court in Bakshibazar at 10:52am.

Zia Orphanage Trust Graft 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 Graft 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: 1221 HRS, MAY 25, 2015
BD/RS/SMS