Khaleda's 10-year jail term stayed

The Supreme Court (SC) has stayed a High Court (HC) verdict which increased BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's five-year jail term in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case to 10 years. 

Moreover, the Appellate Division of the apex court also allowed Khaleda to move an appeal before the court challenging the HC verdict. 

A three-member apex court bench, headed by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, passed the order on Monday. 

The Appellate Division was scheduled to give an order on two leave to appeal the petitions of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on Monday. Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam's bench gave the order Sunday after holding a hearing on the two separate pleas filed by the BNP chief, challenging the High Court order that extended her jail term in the case.

Senior advocates Zainul Abedin and AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Barrister Kayser Kamal, Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Advocate Gazi Qamrul Islam Sazal and Jakir Hossain Bhuiyan stood for Khaleda Zia, while Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and Advocate Asif Hasan argued for the state and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) respectively. 

"We have argued that the prosecution could not able to show any documents, suggesting Begum Khaleda Zia approved any note, or signed any cheques; they could not show any signature of Begum Khaleda Zia on any government documents. Even the fund, we are talking about, is in the bank intact.

There are no legal documents with Begum Khaleda Zia's signature, and the fund is intact in the bank, so how can they convict Begum Khaleda Zia for money embezzlement?" Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon told newsmen. 

"This infamous case was filed with a political scheme. The lower court concerned in February 2018, gave the judgment illegally. The High Court after that being politically biased, gave a judgment illegally, enhanced Begum Khaleda Zia's five-year jail term to 10 years after holding a one-sided hearing," another defence counsel Barrister Kayser Kamal said.

"Even the ACC counsel after reading out the FIR said a single penny wasn't embezzled from this case, that fund of Tk 2.33 crore. The whole fund is in the bank," he added.

Meanwhile, Begum Khaleda Zia's lawyer Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal said during the hearing, that the defence argued that the lower court and the High Court sentenced her based on proofs those do not have any evidential values, adding "That's why we pleaded for quashing of the judgments of the lower court and the High Court as well." 

Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 on February 8, 2018, convicted former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. It also sentenced five others including her son and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman to 10 years' imprisonment each.

The High Court on October 30, 2018, extended the BNP chief's jail term to 10 years.