Khaleda to seek HC bail, if possible by Sunday

Now in prison over charges of graft, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will seek bail from the High Court, if possible by Sunday depending on if she would receive a certified copy of her verdict on that day.

“We will file an appeal with the High Court on behalf of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday if we get the certified copy of the trial court verdict,” Advocate Zainul Abedin, a lawyer for Khaleda and a vice chairman of BNP, told The Daily Star today.

“In the appeal, we will seek bail for her (Khaleda) from the High Court,” he added.“We have already prayed to the authorities concerned for the certified copy of the trial court verdict.”

“We will try to move the appeal before the High Court for the bail of Khaleda Zia on Sunday if the appeal can be filed on that day,” he said.

“If it is not possible for moving the appeal on Sunday, we will move the appeal on Monday,” he said, adding that they will now move the appeal only for the BNP chief Khaleda Zia for her release from jail.

Khaleda has started to serve a five-year imprisonment term she received yesterday after convicted by a local court of laundering Tk 2.10 crore through Zia Orphanage Trust.

The special court also sentenced Khaleda's eldest son and BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman, and four others to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Tk 2.10 crore each.

Tarique, who resides in the UK, was tried in absentia. Earlier in July 2016, he had been awarded seven years' imprisonment in a money laundering case.