Two accused express no-confidence in judge

Two accused in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case yesterday expressed no-confidence in the judge after their petitions seeking adjournment of the argument hearing were rejected.

In two separate petitions, accused Ziaul Huq Munna and Monirul Islam Khan said they would not get justice from the court because it gave an order to run the trial in absence of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

They wanted adjournment because the accused would go to the higher court challenging the order for continuing the trial in absence of Khaleda.

Meanwhile, the bail of Khaleda was extended for a day in the case as a Dhaka court is scheduled to hear arguments from the defence today.

Judge Md Akhteruzzaman of the Special Judge's Court-5 of Dhaka passed the order after Khaleda's lawyer Sanaullah Mia submitted a petition seeking an extension of her bail.

The lawyer also submitted another petition seeking adjournment of the argument hearing until her health improves, and until they challenge the September 20 order for running the trial in absence of Khaleda.  

Advocate Aminul Islam, a lawyer for Munna, appealed to the court, saying that they would go to the higher court challenging the legality of the order. Hence, the arguments hearing should be adjourned for 20 days.

In another petition, lawyer Md Akhtaruzzaman said his client Monirul Islam would also submit a writ petition with the High Court for transfer of the case.

On February 8, the same special court jailed Khaleda for five years in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case and sentenced her elder son Tarique Rahman, now the acting  chairman of BNP, and four others to 10 years' imprisonment each.

The Anti-Corruption Commission lodged the Zia Charitable Trust graft 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.