Khaleda’s bail to be cancelled if she skips hearing Dec 22

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s bail in Zia Charitable Trust graft case will be cancelled if she fails to appear before a court in Dhaka on December 22, the next hearing date in the case.

Judge Abu Ahmed Jomadar of the Special Judge Court-3 passed the order after the BNP chief skipped hearing on the graft case today citing illness.

Today was the date set for Khaleda’s self-defence presentation.

Shamsuddin Didar, a member of media wing of Khaleda, told The Daily Star that the nonappearance was for “unavoidable circumstances”.

On August 8, 2011, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda, of raising funds for the trust from unknown sources abusing power.

ACC Deputy Director Harunur Rashid, also an investigation officer of the case, pressed charges against the accused on January 16, 2012.