Hearing deferred again till May 22

Khaleda Zia. Star file photo

A Dhaka court on Tuesday for the third time deferred until May 22 the hearing on charge framing against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and three others in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

Judge Mohammad Zahirul Haque of the Senior Special Judges' Court passed the order after Taherul Islam Towhid, a counsel for Khaleda, submitted a petition seeking an adjournment of the hearing.

In the petition, Towhid told the court that Khaleda could not appear before it due to security reason as BNP-led 18-party alliance enforced a 36-hour hartal across the country from 6:00am Tuesday.

So, Towhid prayed for an adjournment of the hearing.

The court also extended bail period of two other accused -- Ziaul Islam Munna and Monirul Islam Khan -- in the case till May 22.

Earlier on January 15, the court accepted the charge sheet submitted against Khaleda, Harris Chowdhury, Khaleda's former political secretary; Munna, Harris's assistant private secretary; and Monirul, assistant private secretary of former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

On August 8, 2011, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station, accusing the four of abusing power to raise funds in the trust's name.