The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday (Jan 15) acquitted all including Begum Khaleda Zia of graft charges in the Zia Orphanage Trust case. The Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed this morning pronounced the verdict unanimously acquitting them who were convicted and sentenced by the lower court in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, allowing their appeals in the case.
The court came up with the judgment cancelling the High Court order that extended Begum Khaleda Zia's initial five-year jail term to 10 in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, and a lower court order that initially convicted them all.
Senior lawyers Zainul Abedin, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Badruddoza Badal, Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Kaiser Kamal, and Adv Gazi Qamrul Islam Sazal took part in the hearing for the former prime minister.
Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, Additional Attorney Generals Mohammad Arshadur Rouf and Aneek Rushd Haque stood for the state, while Adv Md Asif Hasan argued for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Senior Advocate SM Shahjahan argued for another appellant Qazi Salimul Haque, local media reported.
The apex court on Nov 11, 2024, allowed two leave to appeal petitions filed by Bangladesh Nationalist Party – BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, staying the High Court order that extended her five-year jail term to 10 in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
In their arguments, Begum Khaleda Zia's counsels stated that the prosecution could not show any document that she approved notes or signed cheques; they even could not show her signature on any government document.
"Even the fund, we are talking about, is in the bank intact," Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon said.
"This infamous case was filed with a political scheme. The lower court concerned in February 2018, gave the judgment illegally. The High Court after that, being politically biased, gave a judgment illegally, enhancing Begum Khaleda Zia's five-year jail term to 10 years after holding a one-sided hearing," Barrister Kayser Kamal said earlier.
"Not a single penny was embezzled from the fund of Tk 2.33 crore. The whole fund is in the bank. It was just moved; the initial amount and interest against that are in the account" ACC counsel Md Asif Hasan said during the hearing.
Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 on Feb 8, 2018, convicted former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the case. It also sentenced five others including her son and BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to 10 years' imprisonment each.
The High Court on Oct 30, 2018, extended the BNP chief's jail term to 10 years.
Mohammed Shahabuddin, hours after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, had commuted the sentences of Begum Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases. But the BNP chairperson decided to fight the legal battle at the court for her acquittal, saying she is respectful towards the law. She doesn't want any clemency, but to fight the legal battle accordingly, her counsels said.
