Summon jail doctor to explain Khaleda's absence: ACC

The prosecution yesterday verbally appealed to a Dhaka court to summon Khaleda Zia's doctor and ask why the BNP chief was not produced before it in the last four months.

ACC Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajal made the appeal after a civil surgeon of Old Dhaka central jail wrote “Khaleda is not fit for today” on the custody warrant.

The jail doctors have been sending custody warrant citing various reasons for not producing Khaleda before the court since the day she landed in jail in February this year, the prosecution said. “It's time the doctors should be asked to appear before it and explain the reason,” he added.

Opposing the plea, defence lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder said it is their duty to produce Khaleda, currently in government custody, to court. “Moreover, it is clear that Khaleda Zia is ill.”

After hearing both the side, Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka did not pass any order on the issue. 

The court also extended Khaleda Zia's bail in the case until June 28.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Charitable corruption case with Tejgaon Police Station in August 2011, accusing Khaleda and three others of abusing power to raise funds for the trust from unknown sources.