Court extends Khaleda’s bail

A Dhaka court yesterday extended the bail of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia until July 31 in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka passed the order after Khaleda's lawyer Ziauddin Zia submitted a petition seeking extension of her bail.

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The same day was fixed for hearing arguments on behalf of two other accused.

The same court on July 17 extended the bail of Khaleda until today.

The case was filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission with Tejgaon police in August 2011 accusing Khaleda and three others of abusing power to raise funds for the trust from unknown sources.

The three other accused are: Harris Chowdhury, political secretary of then prime minister Khaleda between 2001 and 2006, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) to Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS to former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.  

Of them, Harris is on the run, while Munna and Monirul are now on bail. The two were present in the court yesterday.

Khaleda, accused in more than 34 cases, is currently serving a five-year prison term in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

In another development, the High Court yesterday continued for the seventh day hearing on an appeal filed by Khaleda challenging the lower court's verdict that sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the graft case.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman also fixed today for resuming the hearing.