Khaleda skips hearing again for illness

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday again skipped the trial proceedings of Zia charitable and Zia orphanage trust corruption cases  due to her illness.

She did not attend the hearing on August 10 and 27 showing the same reason.

Yesterday, counsel for Khaleda concluded cross-examination of two prosecution witnesses in the Zia charitable trust graft case.    Special Judge Court-3 of Dhaka Judge Abu Ahmed Jomadar recorded statements of three more prosecution witnesses in the same case but Kahleda's lawyer did not cross-examine them. The court was then adjourned till September 10 for cross-examining the three witnesses.

According to the case statement, Khaleda and three others abused power to collect Tk 6.19 crore for Zia Charitable Trust during BNP's rule between 1991 and 1996. Another complaint says the BNP chief, her son Tarique Rahman, and four others embezzled Tk 2.1 crore by forming Zia Orphanage Trust that exists only on paper. The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the cases.