Khaleda graft conviction
HC prods defence lawyers to hasten plea arguments
Staff Reporter
The High Court (HC) yesterday gave a deadline of three working days to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zias lawyers to finish placing their arguments on the legal points of her appeal against a trial court verdict that had sentenced her to five years of imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
The HC bench of Justices M Enayetur Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman extended its earlier order that had granted bail to Khaleda in the case by three working days.
The judges came up with the order while Khaledas lawyer Barrister Bodruddoza Badal moved the bench with a petition seeking extension of her bail.
Talking to The Independent, Anti-Corruption Commissions (ACC) lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said the bench had expressed dissatisfaction as Khaledas lawyers did not appear before it on time for placing arguments even after they took time to do so from the court earlier.
Alam also opined that the BNP chiefs lawyers wanted to linger the court proceedings over her appeal by remaining absent from the courtroom.
On February 8, the Dhaka Special Court-5 had convicted the former prime minister in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case and sentenced her to five years of prison. Consequently, Khaleda was sent to old central jail on Nazimuddin Road in the city.
On March 12, the HC granted a four-month bail to Khaleda in the case filed by the ACC. The four-month bail order expired on July 12. Since then, the HC bench has extended the bail order six times.
