Hearing on Appeals Against Khaleda Zia’s Acquittal Set for March 2

The hearing on the appeals filed by the state and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s acquittal in the Zia Charitable Trust case has been scheduled for March 2.

On Sunday (February 23), a three-judge appellate bench, led by Senior Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam, set the date for the hearing.

The state filed its appeal with the Appellate Division on February 16 against the High Court's verdict acquitting Khaleda Zia.

Earlier, on November 27 last year, the High Court acquitted Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust case. The verdict was delivered by a High Court bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayetur Rahman. 

Along with Khaleda Zia, Ziaul Islam, the then-private secretary of Haris Chowdhury, and Monirul Islam Khan, the former private secretary to ex-mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, were also acquitted in the case.

Senior lawyers Zainul Abedin and Barrister Kaiser Kamal represented Khaleda Zia in the High Court, while lawyer Asif Hasan appeared for the ACC.

Following the publication of the full text of the High Court’s verdict, the state filed a leave-to-appeal petition with the Appellate Division.

On October 29, 2018, Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-5, presided over by then-Judge Md. Akhtaruzzaman (now a High Court judge), sentenced Khaleda Zia to seven years in prison in the Zia Charitable Trust case. She was also fined Tk 1 million, with an additional six-month jail term in case of non-payment. The three other accused in the case received the same punishment.

The other convicts were Haris Chowdhury, Khaleda Zia’s former political secretary (deceased), his private secretary Ziaul Islam Munna, and Monirul Islam Khan, the private secretary to former undivided Dhaka City Corporation Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka (deceased). Haris Chowdhury had been absconding at the time and later passed away. The remaining accused appealed to the High Court.

The Zia Charitable Trust case was filed on August 8, 2010, at Tejgaon Police Station. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lodged the case, alleging illegal transactions of Tk 31.54 million in the name of the trust. 

Following an investigation, the ACC submitted a charge sheet against Khaleda Zia and three others in 2012. On March 19, 2014, a court framed charges against all four accused. 

After the completion of witness testimonies and closing arguments, the court delivered its verdict on October 19, 2018.