DHAKA: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has reached the make-shift court at Bakshi Bazar in the capital for hearing in Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases.

Sources told banglanews that the BNP chief reached there around 11:00am following set out from her Gulshan residence around 10:10am this morning.

BNP chairperson’s lawyer barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon confirmed the matter to banglanews.

Earlier, the court fixed October 26 for recording deposition in Zia Charitable and Orphanage Trust graft cases against BNP chief Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and four others.

But, Khaleda did not appear before the court.

Zia Orphanage Case

The ACC filed the graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman and four others of misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore which came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.   

The other accused are former BNP lawmaker Kazi Saleemul Haque, businessperson Sharfuddin Ahmed, Khaleda's former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui and Momenur Rahman.

Zia Charitable Trust Case

On August 8, 2011, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.      

The other accused in the case are Harris Chowdhury, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) to Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS to Sadeque Hossain Khoka, mayor of the erstwhile Dhaka City Corporation.

** Khaleda to appear before court Sunday

BDST: 1125 HRS, NOV 9, 2014