Charitable Trust Case: Khaleda pleads not guilty

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday claimed innocence before a special court in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case filed by the Anti Corruption Commission in 2011.

Appearing before the court, she also hoped that she would get justice in the case.

Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-3 read out the testimony of the witnesses of the state to the BNP chief and sought her comments on the statements.

"All the aspirations of our independence have been crushed under our feet. Where are the citizen's rights [that are] guaranteed in our constitution? Where is human dignity and social justice?" she questioned.

"The entire nation has been disgraced and violated. Entire Bangladesh has been turned into an enormous prison. Thousands of opposition leaders and activists are behind bars at the moment under false and fabricated cases."

In response to Khaleda's appeal, the court fixed December 8 for hearing remainder of her statement.

Earlier, Khaleda arrived at the special court premises around 12:15 pm to attend proceedings of the graft case.

The judge mentioned summarised depositions recorded before the court by 32 prosecution witnesses in the graft case and asked Khaleda whether the allegations against her were true.   

On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda, of raising funds for the trust from unknown sources abusing power.

ACC Deputy Director Harunur Rashid, also an investigation officer of the case, pressed charges against the accused on January 16, 2012.

The ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda Zia, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, residing in the UK since 2008, and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that was received as grant for orphans from a foreign bank.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court judge yesterday said, Khaleda Zia will be indicted in absentia in 10 cases filed against her if she fails to appear before the court on January 9.

Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah of Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court made the comment while fixing the hearing date following 10 separate petitions submitted by Khaleda's lawyer.

In the petition, her lawyer sought adjournment of the hearing saying that Khaleda could not appear before the court as she was to appear before another court in connection with Zia Charitable Trust graft case to place her self-defence statements.