The High Court today once again expressed “highly dissatisfaction” with the lawyers representing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia as they did not appear before it on time for placing arguments on her appeal against the trial court verdict in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman asked the lawyers for Khaleda to finish placing their arguments on the appeal by Sunday.

The judges adjourned the hearing on the petition till 10:30am on Sunday.

During today’s proceedings, Barrister Kayser Kamal and Advocate Mushfiqur Rahman, two junior lawyers for Khaleda, took time from the court for two times today saying that senior lawyers, who were in another court for hearing a bail petition of Khaleda Zia, will appear before it for placing arguments on the appeal in Zia Orphanage Trust case.

The judges--Justice Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mostafizur Rahman waited for the senior lawyers for a long time and they left the courtroom around 3:30pm, as the lawyers for Khaleda did not appear before themfor placing arguments on her appeal, Anti-Corruption Commission’s lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star.

The ACC lawyer informed that the judges expressed highly dissatisfaction saying that the senior lawyers for Khaleda Zia were not so interested to finish placing arguments, although the Appellate Division has given them a time limit till October 31 for disposing of the appeal.  

Barrister Kayser Kamal told this correspondent that the senior lawyers for Khaleda Zia were busy today at another HC bench with hearing a bail petition filed by her in an arson case lodged in Cumilla.

The lawyers for the BNP chairperson will appear before the HC bench of Justice Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mostafizur Rahman on Sunday and will place arguments on the appeal in Zia Orphanage Trust case.

Earlier, the HC bench expressed dissatisfaction for two times with the lawyers for Khaleda Zia as they did not appear before it on time for placing arguments on her appeal.

Khaleda filed the appeal challenging the trial court verdict that sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

Khaleda has been in jail since she was sentenced on February 8.

Today, another HC bench comprising Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice SM Kuddus Zaman fixed Sunday for passing an order on a revision petition filed by the BNP chairperson seeking a stay on the proceedings against her in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

The bench also fixed the date after concluding the hearing on the petition today.

Khaleda filed the revision petition with the HC on September 27 challenging the legality of a trial court decision to continue the proceedings of the case in her absence.

In the petition, she prayed to issue a rule on the ACC and the government to explain why the lower court's decision should not be scrapped.

On September 20, a Dhaka court decided to continue the trial of the case inside Old Dhaka Central Jail in her absence.

Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali placed arguments for Khaleda, while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC.