Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Dhaka: Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia has been acquitted in another major case. The Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia in a corruption case. Also the 10 year jail sentence given to him by the High Court was overturned. The bench headed by Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed gave the verdict on Wednesday after reviewing the appeal of Khaleda (79) against the High Court’s decision, Dhaka Tribune reported.
The Supreme Court acquitted Zia, acting party president Tariq Rehman and all other suspects on their appeal in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case, the report said. The Appellate Division said the case was motivated by vendetta. On February 8, 2018, Zia was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-5 for alleged embezzlement of government funds in the name of Zia Orphanage Trust.
Was sentenced to 10 years
In the same decision, five other accused including Khaleda Zia’s son Tariq and former Chief Secretary Kamaluddin Siddiqui were sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. A fine of Taka 2.1 crore was also imposed on each accused. Among the accused, Tariq, Siddiqui and Ziaur Rehman’s relative Mominur Rehman are still absconding. Zia had appealed in the High Court against the decision of the subordinate court, but on 30 October 2018, a bench of Justice M. Inayatur Rahim and Justice MD Mustafizur Rahman increased the sentence to 10 years. After this Jiah filed an appeal against this sentence.
Appeal was filed after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster
Khaleda Zia had filed this appeal in the Supreme Court after the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina. After years of delay due to legal procedural issues and lack of initiative on the part of advocates, the Appellate Division accepted Jiah’s appeal on 11 November 2024. The court also stayed the High Court’s 10-year sentence until the final hearing of the appeal. After the hearing concluded, the Appellate Division announced its decision to acquit Zia and officially acquitted her of charges in the case. Jiah is ill and had gone to London for treatment earlier this month. Zia was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from March 1991 to March 1996 and again from June 2001 to October 2006. (Language)
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