Zia Trust Case: HC to hear Khaleda’s bail plea Sunday
The High Court will hear the bail petition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday.
She has been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case by a lower court.
The bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq yesterday set the date after Khaleda's lawyers requested the judges to hold the hearing.
Before setting the date, the judges said the same bench had earlier rejected her bail petition and the Supreme Court's Appellate Division also upheld the order.
The court asked why a similar bail petition was brought before it.
In reply, Khaleda's lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain told the court that there was no legal bar for his client to move the petition before the court.
The court then fixed Sunday for hearing the petition.
Moudud Ahmed, Zainul Abedin, and Sagir Hossain Leon also appeared for the BNP chief.
Khaleda, who is now in jail, filed the bail petition with the HC on Tuesday, citing poor health.
In the petition, the BNP chief said she has been suffering from several diseases like diabetes and dental problem, and her physical condition has been deteriorating since December 12 last year.
She is now seriously ill. She cannot move freely, take food, and medicine without the help of others. She needs immediate treatment/therapy abroad, like in the UK, says the petition.
Earlier, the Supreme Court's HC Division denied her bail twice in the case and the Appellate Division once.
On August 8, 2011, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station against four people, including Khaleda. They were accused of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.
A special court in Dhaka jailed Khaleda and three others for seven years in the case on October 29, 2018.
The BNP chief landed in jail after being sentenced to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case by the same special court on February 8, 2018.
On October 30, 2018, the HC enhanced her punishment to 10 years in the case after dismissing her appeal.
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