Khaleda gets bail in 2 graft cases

A special court in Dhaka today granted bail to BNP chief Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases upon a bond of Tk 1 lakh.

The court also asked the BNP chairperson to take its permission before leaving the country.

The court recorded defense statement of Khaleda Zia and set October 26 for the next hearing.

However, the court turned down the bail petition of two other accused, BNP lawmaker Kazi Salimul Haq Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, in the cases.

Also read: Khaleda back home after 3 months

Earlier around 11:20am, Khaleda appeared before the special court set up in the city’s Bakshibazar area.

‘All accusations completely imaginary and made up’

Khaleda Zia’s lawyers today appealed for recording her self-defense statements as the court earlier skipped the process earlier since she was in London for three months.

The court accepted the appeal and recorded Khaleda Zia’s statement her defense for one-hour from 12:15pm.

In her defense statement, Khaleda Zia said, “The cases filed against me are false, motivated and filed to harass. All the accusations of this case are completely imaginary and made up.”

Khaleda Zia, who returned home from London yesterday after three months, is facing six arrest warrants in different cases. A Dhaka court has recently cancelled her bail and issued arrest warrants for her in the Zia Orphanage and the Zia Charitable Trust graft cases.

Two more warrants have been served on her in Dhaka in as many cases for allegedly “undermining” the country's map and the national flag and celebrating her “false birthday” on August 15 every year.

The other warrants have been issued against the BNP chief in Comilla in two cases filed over hartal violence in February 2015.