The state and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) have appealed to the Appellate Division against the verdict acquitting BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from a seven-year prison sentence in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. The Appellate Division has set March 2 for the hearing of the appeal.
The Appellate Division headed by Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam gave the order on Sunday (February 23). Advocate Asif Hossain appeared for the ACC in the court. Additional Attorney General Barrister Anik R. Haque appeared for the state. Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal and Advocate Maqsud Ullah appeared for Khaleda Zia. Advocate Maqsud Ullah, the lawyer for Khaleda Zia, confirmed the matter.
On November 27, the High Court acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from a seven-year sentence in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. The High Court bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain gave the verdict after accepting Khaleda Zia's appeal against the sentence.
Senior lawyer Zainul Abedin, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal, Advocate Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, Advocate Aminul Islam, Advocate Zakir Hossain, Advocate Siddique Ullah Mia, Advocate Maqsud Ullah, Advocate Ajmal Hossain Khokon, Barrister Sanjid Siddiqui represented Khaleda Zia in the court. Advocate Asif Hossain represented the ACC.
The appeal hearing against Khaleda Zia's seven-year prison sentence in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case began on November 20 last year.
On November 3, the High Court allowed Khaleda Zia to produce a paperback at her own expense to hear her appeal against her seven-year prison sentence in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.
Later, lawyer Zainul Abedin said, Khaleda Zia does not want any mercy. She wants to settle the case legally. That is why we want to quickly hear the appeal against the verdict in the Zia Charitable Trust case. The court has allowed us to prepare a paper book at our own expense for the appeal hearing. In October 2018, Khaleda Zia was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. At the same time, the court also sentenced three other accused to seven years of rigorous imprisonment. Each of them, including Khaleda Zia, was fined Tk 1 million. In addition, an order was issued to confiscate 42 kathas of land in Kakrail bought in the name of the trust and transfer it to the state. Khaleda Zia later appealed against this verdict.
