DHAKA: A Dhaka court on Thursday fixed July 23 for next hearing in the Zia Charitable and Orphanage Trust cases filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and others.
After hearing the time petition, the makeshift court of Abu Ahmed Jamader ordered to continue cross-examination in the Charitable trust case rejecting the time petition of Khaleda Zia.
Later, it also adjourned the proceedings until July 23 after partial cross-examination of the first witness of Zia Charitable Trust case, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) deputy director Harunur Rashid.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s chief lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain testified the first witness.
The court also ordered defense lawyer to conduct rest cross-examination to the first witness and recording statement of next witness on July 23.
Besides, the court, set up in city’s Alia Madrasa ground, deferred till July 23 the cross-examination in the Zia Orphanage Trust case, accepting the time petition of Khaleda Zia.
Earlier at 10:30am, Khleda Zia appeared before the court and filed time petitions seeking deferment of cross-examination in the two cases.
Earlier on May 25, Khaleda Zia filed a petition seeking cancellation of first witness Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) deputy director Harunur Rashid’s deposition recorded on May 5.
She explained that the recording of deposition placed by first witness was not lawful as Khaleda Zia was absent in the court on the day.
On Thursday, Khaleda Zia sought more time as the hearing of the writ petition was scheduled to be held in High Court (HC).
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: 1333 HRS, JUNE 18, 2015
BD/RS/SMS
** Khaleda appears in court, files time plea
