Zia charitable graft: Court asks Khaleda to appear Dec 1

A Dhaka court today asked BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to appear before it on December 1 to place her statements in connection with Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar of the Special Judge Court-3 passed the order after Khaleda’s lawyer submitted two separate petitions -- one for her non appearance before it today and the other seeking adjournment of the hearing.

Also READ: SC clears way for Niko graft trial against Khaleda

In the petition, Khaleda’s lawyer said that she could not appear before it today due to her physical illness and that’s why the hearing for placing her case defence statement should be adjourned.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on August 8, 2011 filed the graft case accusing Khaleda and three others of abusing power to set up a charitable trust named after Ziaur Rahman, according to the commission.
The other three accused are Harris Chowdhury, Khaleda's former political secretary, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary of Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS of former Dhaka City Corporation mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.
Harris is absconding while Monirul and Munna are on bail.
The ACC mentioned that the money spent for establishing the trust was collected from different sources, using the influence of the office of prime minister in 2005.
Just in a week from January 13, 2005, Tk 7.81 crore was deposited with the trust account, opened by Khaleda as the first managing trustee, at Sonali Bank branch at the Prime Minister's Office.
Of the amount spent on setting up the trust, Tk 2.87 crore came from unknown sources.