Court to hear Khaleda's statement on April 25

A special court yesterday fixed April 25 to hear BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's statements in a corruption case tied to Zia Charitable Trust.

The Special Judge's Court-3 set up in the capital's Bakshibazar also rejected two petitions filed by the defence -- one for further cross examination of the investigation officer of the case and the other seeking case documents.

Both the petitions did not have any legal ground, the court said after Khaleda's counsels submitted them in her presence.   

The court, however, granted them a time petition for moving their pleas to the High Court and set the date for hearing arguments. 

On the day, it will also read out testimonies of the prosecution witnesses to Khaleda and hear her statements regarding them.

The BNP chief will be able to reply in writing or verbally, said Sanaullah Mia, one of her counsels.

Khaleda appeared in the court around 10:30am after leaders of the BNP and its associate organisations gathered at Bakshibazar intersection, several hundred yards off the special court.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case in August 2011 with Tejgaon Police Station, accusing four people, including the BNP chief, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.

It also filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case in July 2008 with Ramna Police Station, saying that Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, now living in the UK, and four others misappropriated more than Tk 2.10 crore that had come as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.