Zia Trust Case: Khaleda's bail extended till July 17

A Dhaka court yesterday extended the bail period of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia until July 17 in connection with the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

Judge Md Akhteruzzaman of the Special Judge's Court-5 of Dhaka passed the order after Khaleda's lawyer Sanaullah Miah submitted a petition seeking extension of her bail.

The court fixed the same date for hearing arguments on behalf of two other accused in that case.

On June 28, the same court extended her bail until yesterday in connection with the graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The ACC filed the case with Tejgaon police in August 2011 accusing Khaleda and three others of abusing power to raise funds for the trust from unknown sources.

The three other accused are Harris Chowdhury, political secretary of the then prime minister Khaleda between 2001 and 2006, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) to Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS to former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

Khaleda is currently serving a five-year prison term in the graft case.

Meantime, the High Court yesterday adjourned till July 15 the hearing on a petition filed by Khaleda seeking stay on the trial proceedings against her in an arson case filed in Comilla in 2015.

The case was filed with Chouddagram police on charge of killing seven people and injuring 25-26 others by setting fire to a bus in Chouddagram upazila on February 2, 2015.

The HC bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice SM Mozibur Rahman yesterday passed the adjournment order after concluding the day's hearing on the petition.

During hearing, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam opposed the petition saying that Khaleda was shown arrested in connection with the case on July 1 this year and she (Khaleda) was absconding until July 1 as per law.