Khaleda Zia acquitted in Zia Orphanage Trust case

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) has acquitted all accused including BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in a case challenging a High Court order that extended her five-year jail term to 10 in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

The apex court on November 11, 2024, allowed two leave to appeal petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, staying the High Court order that extended her five-year jail term to 10 in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

Begum Khaleda Zia's counsels in their arguments stated that the prosecution could not able to show any documents that she approved any note, or signed any cheque; they could not show any signature of Begum Khaleda Zia on any government document. 

"Even the fund, we are talking about, is in the bank intact," Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon said.

"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, enhancing Begum Khaleda Zia's five-year jail term to 10 years after holding a one-sided hearing," Barrister Kayser Kamal said earlier.

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

Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 on February 8, 2018, convicted former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the 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.