Verdict on Khaleda Zia’s Appeal in Zia Trust Case Tomorrow
- Update Time : 07:12:55 am, Tuesday, 14 January 2025
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The hearing on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s appeal against her 10-year sentence in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case has concluded, with the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division set to announce its verdict on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, a bench led by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed concluded the hearing and scheduled the judgment. On November 11, 2024, the Appellate Division had granted leave to appeal in this case, suspending Khaleda Zia’s sentence and instructing her to submit an appeal summary within two weeks. This order was issued by a three-member bench led by Senior Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam.
In 2018, a special court in Dhaka sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years in prison for embezzling government funds through the Zia Orphanage Trust. The court also sentenced five other accused, including her son Tarique Rahman, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment each, along with fines of Tk 2.10 crore per person. The other convicted individuals were former Principal Secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, former MP and businessman Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal, businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, and Ziaur Rahman’s nephew Mominur Rahman.
Khaleda Zia, along with two co-accused, later appealed to the High Court seeking acquittal. However, on October 30, 2018, a High Court bench of Justice M. Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md. Mostafizur Rahman extended Khaleda’s prison sentence to 10 years. This judgment led her to file a leave-to-appeal petition with the Appellate Division.
