Zia Orphanage Trust case: Khaleda’s bail extended till Sep 5

Dhaka: A Dhaka court on Tuesday extended the bail of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia till September 5 in connection to the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

The bail order was passed by acting Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam, as Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 Judge Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman was on leave, The Dhaka Tribune reported.

Khaleda’s bail has been extended several times in the past. On July 31, Akhtaruzzaman’s court had extended Khaleda’s bail till August 7.

Earlier on March 12, the High Court had granted a four-month bail to Khaleda.

On February 8, Special Judge’s Court-5 of Dhaka sentenced Khaleda to jail after it had found her and five others guilty in the graft case.

Khaleda along with her elder son Tarique Rahman and four others were sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment along with imposing a fine of over 2.1 crore taka (approx Rs 1.6 crore).

The case was filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in July 2008, alleging misappropriation of funds amounting to 2.1 crore taka that were said to have come from a foreign bank in the form of grants for orphans.

The 73-year-old leader is a two-time Bangladesh Prime Minister, having ruled from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. (ANI)