Designed to harm Khaleda's political career

A defence lawyer yesterday told a Dhaka court that the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case was filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to hamper her political career. 

Abdur Rezak Khan, one of Khaleda's lawyers, made the comment while placing his closing arguments in the case for the second day.

He also said the dignity and honour of Khaleda and her family was linked to the case.

Saying that the case was false, the lawyer appealed to the court to dispose of the lawsuit according to the Penal Code.  

During yesterday's arguments, the lawyer read out some key points from the statements of 32 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant and the investigation officer of the case.

He also argued over the statements of different witnesses and said they could not prove the charges brought against the BNP chief.   

Meanwhile, Khaleda submitted her written self-defence statement to the court in connection with the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

The court extended her ad-interim bail in the two cases till December 26 after her lawyers had submitted two petitions.

Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Judge Court-5 in the city's Bakshibazar adjourned the hearing till Tuesday.

On that date, the court will also hear arguments in the charitable trust case. 

The Anti-Corruption Commission had filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case in July 2008, accusing Khaleda, her elder son Tarique Rahman and four others of misappropriating over Tk 2.1 crore that had come from a foreign bank as grants for orphans.

Three years later, the anti-graft body lodged the Zia Charitable Trust graft case against four people, including Khaleda, on charges of abusing power to raise funds for the trust from unknown sources.