IO's deposition hearing starts in Khaleda's absence

A Dhaka court yesterday started recording the statement of the last prosecution witness Harunur Rashid, deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Commission and the investigation officer of Zia Charitable Trust graft case, in the absence of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Khaleda could not appear before the court due to her physical illness, mentioned her counsels in their petitions.  

However, she attended a discussion of Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal, freedom fighters' wing of BNP, in the capital's Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh as chief guest.

Earlier in the day, counsels for Khaleda completed cross-examination of four prosecution witnesses, all Sonali Bank officials, in the case.    

The court fixed December 31 for the next hearing.   

The ACC filed the case on August 8, 2011 against Khaleda and three others accusing them of abusing power in collusion with each other for setting up a charitable trust named after former president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.