A Dhaka court yesterday adjourned the hearing in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and four others till January 5, 2017. Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar of the special judge court-3 passed the order following an adjournment petition filed by Advocate Sana Ullah Miah on behalf of the BNP chief.
Khaleda appeared in the court around 11.30 am yesterday for the hearing in compliance with its previous directive. Hundreds of leaders and activists gathered near the special court’s venue at Alia Madrasa ground in Dhaka’s Bakshi Bazar area.
The former premier later filed a petition seeking more time to place her statement as a writ plea relating to the case was pending in the High Court. So the hearing should be adjourned until disposal of the HC petition, the plea stated.
On December 15, the judge had asked Khaleda to appear before the court on December 22 after hearing a time petition filed by the defendant’s lawyers citing her physical illness. The court had also said that Khaleda’s bail would be cancelled if she failed to appear on the designated date to place her self-defence statements.
Earlier, 32 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant, had given their statements to the court on different dates. The court also recorded deposition of 32 PWs in the Zia Orphanage

Graft case.
On December 1, Khaleda pleaded not guilty in the case, rejecting the charge of abuse of power while managing funds for Zia Charitable Trust during her tenure as prime minister. Recording of deposition will be completed in the case following completion of the cross-examination of ACC deputy director Harun-ur-Rashid, who is also the investigating officer of the case.
On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the case against Zia Charitable Trust with Tejgaon police station, accusing Khaleda and three others of raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.
On July 3, 2008, the anti-graft commission filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case with Ramna police station, accusing Khaleda, her son Tarique Rahman and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.