Zia orphanage graft case

Prosecution seeks highest punishment for Khaleda

The prosecution yesterday sought the highest punishment for BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and five others in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. Public prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajal sought punishment for the accused persons while placing the final argument of the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case before the special judge's court-5 set up at Madrasah-e-Alia in Bakshibazar in Dhaka. Judge Md. Akhteruzzaman heard the final arguments from the state’s side yesterday. It will hear the arguments of the defence from today.

During the hearing, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajal argued different points in the case, alleging that the charges brought against Khaleda and the others had primarily been proven.

“Instead of using foreign aid for the welfare of orphans, these persons kept laundering the money over the years,” Kajal said.

He also said that the defence had been unable to refute the testimonies of the 32 witnesses in the case. He appealed to the court to award the highest punishment to the accused in accordance with the law, as the allegation brought against the accused has been proved. During the hearing, the BNP chief appeared before the court and sought time for placing her statement of self-defence in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

In July 2008, the ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case with Ramna Police Station, accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, and four others of misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that had come as grants from a foreign bank for orphans. Three years later, iti filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon police, accusing four people, including Khaleda, of abusing power to raise funds for the trust from unknown sources.

 

Zia orphanage graft case

Prosecution seeks highest punishment for Khaleda

The prosecution yesterday sought the highest punishment for BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and five others in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. Public prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajal sought punishment for the accused persons while placing the final argument of the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case before the special judges court-5 set up at Madrasah-e-Alia in Bakshibazar in Dhaka. Judge Md. Akhteruzzaman heard the final arguments from the states side yesterday. It will hear the arguments of the defence from today. During the hearing, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajal argued different points in the case, alleging that the charges brought against Khaleda and the others had primarily been proven. Instead of using foreign aid for the welfare of orphans, these persons kept laundering the money over the years, Kajal said. He also said that the defence had been unable to refute the testimonies of the 32 witnesses in the case. He appealed to the court to award the highest punishment to the accused in accordance with the law, as the allegation brought against the accused has been proved. During the hearing, the BNP chief appeared before the court and sought time for placing her statement of self-defence in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case. In July 2008, the ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case with Ramna Police Station, accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, and four others of misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that had come as grants from a foreign bank for orphans. Three years later, iti filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon police, accusing four people, including Khaleda, of abusing power to raise funds for the trust from unknown sources.