Hearing on Khaleda Zia’s bail petition begins

The Appellate Division began hearing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s bail petition in Zia Charitable Trust corruption case on Thursday morning, reports UNB.

The Appellate bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, started the hearing around 10:15am.

Additional police have been deployed in and around the Supreme Court premises for security reasons since Wednesday.

The law enforcers are allowing people in the court area after thorough checks.

On December 5, the top court deferred the hearing until December 12 and asked the medical board formed to treat Khaleda to submit a report on her health condition.

A six-member Appellate bench, led by the Chief Justice, passed the order after Attorney General Mahbubey Alam sought time to file the report.

On November 28, the bench deferred the hearing on the bail petition until December 5. It also asked the medical board to submit a health report before the court on December 5.

Khaleda moved the apex court on November 14 challenging a High Court Division order that had turned down her bail petition in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

The High Court on September 11 rejected her bail petition. Khaleda’s bail plea had been turned down twice before – on July 31 and September 3.

On August 8, 2011, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Charitable Trust case with Tejgaon police against four people, including Khaleda. They were accused of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.

A special court jailed the BNP chief and three others for seven years in the case on October 29 last year. Khaleda later moved the High Court.

The former prime minister has been in jail since February 8 last year after she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in a separate corruption case.

She is currently being treated at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Her party has been accusing the government of not providing adequate treatment facilities to Khaleda.