Khaleda to appear before court today

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will appear before a Dhaka court today in Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

She is expected to reach the court by 10:30am, her lawyer Sanaullah Miah told The Daily Star yesterday.

On April 7, the High Court cleared the way for a lower court to continue the trial proceedings after rejecting Khaleda's petition.

On March 9, Khaleda challenged the legality of the appointment of Harunur Rashid, investigating officer of the case, saying that the Anti-Corruption Commission had not published any gazette notice.

The ACC on August 8, 2011, filed the case accusing Khaleda and three others of abusing power in setting up the charity.

The other accused are Harris Chowdhury, Khaleda's former political secretary, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) of Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS of former mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka. Of them, Harris is on the run.