DHAKA: The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in its concluding argument in the court demanded the highest punishment for BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and five other accused in the Zia Orphanage Trust Graft case.

The prosecution on Tuesday (December 19) concluded its argument in the case at the special court, the makeshift court set up on the premises of the Madrasa-e-Alia Dhaka at Bakshibazar in the city.

Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajal on behalf of the ACC demanded highest punishment for the six accused after placing testimony of 32 witnesses.

He placed his argument on different points and claimed that the charges brought against Khaleda Zia and others have been proven primarily. He appealed for the highest punishment for them according to the existing law.

The Special Judge Court-5 Judge Md Akhteruzzaman fixed Wednesday (December 20) for placing the arguments of defense.

Earlier in the day, Khaleda Zia appeared before the special court and sought time for placing her self-defense statement in the graft case and the Zia Charitable Trust Graft case

Khaleda Zia, prime accused in the case, is expected to submit a written statement for her self-defense.

On December 05, the BNP chief surrendered before the special court and received bail in the two cases.

On July 3 in 2008, the ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case with Ramna Police Station in the city, accusing Khaleda Zia, her elder son Tarique Rahman and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that was received as grants for orphans via a foreign bank.

The other accused in the case are- former BNP MP of Magura Salimul Haque Kamal, the-then principal secretary of the Prime Minister Dr Kamal Siddique, Khaleda Zia’s nephew Mominur Rahman and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed.

Dr Kamal Siddique and Sharfuddin Ahmed have been on absconding since the beginning, while the two other accused are on bail in the case.

On August 8 in 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station in the city, accusing Khaleda Zia and three others of raising funds for the trust from unknown sources through power abuse.

BDST: 1730 HRS, DEC 19, 2017
EHJ