Graft case: Khaleda, Tarique asked to appear before court

A Dhaka court today ordered BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and four others to appear before it on January 5 in connection with Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

Bail will be cancelled if anyone of the accused, including Khaleda and her elder son, fails to appear before it on that day, said the court order.

Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-3 passed the order after recording statements of 32 prosecution witnesses including complainant of the case, Advocate Zia Uddin, a counsel of Khaleda, told The Daily Star.

Among the accused, Khaleda, Tarique, a former BNP lawmaker Halimul Huq Kamal and a business man Sharfuddin Ahmed are now on bail while formal principal secretary Dr Kamal Uddin Siddique and Mominur Rahman, nephew of late president Ziaur Rahman, absconding.

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

Khaleda on December 1 claimed innocence before a special court in Zia Charitable Trust graft case filed by the ACC in 2011. On that day, the court warned that Khaleda Zia will be indicted in absentia in 10 cases filed against her if she fails to appear before the court on January 9.