DHAKA: Rejecting BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s plea for canceling the deposition of Harun-ar-Rashid, the first witness in the Zia Orphanage graft case, Special Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar recorded his deposition for second day.

The court on Monday also fixed June 18 for testifying the plaintiff and recording deposition of the second witness.

Zia Charitable Trust case plaintiff Harun-ar-Rashid, and also Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) deputy director completed placing his statement before the makeshift court set up in Alia Madrasa ground in the city.

BNP chief’s lawyer Advocate Masud Ahmed Talukder on behalf of Khaleda Zia filed a petition seeking cancellation of the deposition recorded on May 5 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.

Khaleda Zia’s adviser and lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, also the president of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), moved for Khaleda Zia’s plea.

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.


** Khaleda seeks deposition cancellation
** Khaleda Zia reaches court

BDST: 1404 HRS, MAY 25, 2015
BD/RS/SMS