Khaleda again to skip court today

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today will once again skip trial proceedings in the Zia charitable and orphanage trust corruption cases for, as her counsel Sanaullah Miah told The Daily Star, being "unwell".

As per court sources, witnesses' statements in the charitable case are scheduled to be recorded.

Khaleda cited illness and security issues, among other grounds, on many occasions, the last on December 3.

She last appeared before the special judge court-3 at Bakshi Bazar on September 10 before flying to London five days later for treatment and to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with family members. She returned on November 21.

The charitable case's charge sheet says Khaleda and three others abused power to collect Tk 6.19 crore for the trust during the BNP-led government's tenure between 1991 and 1996.

The orphanage case's statement says she, her son Tarique Rahman and four others embezzled Tk 2.1 crore by forming the charity which exists only on paper.

Anti-Corruption Commission filed the cases during the military-backed caretaker government in 2007.