Court defers hearing against Khaleda Zia

A Bangladesh court Sunday again deferred the hearing on framing charge against former prime minister Khaleda Zia and others in connection with graft cases involving Zia's orphanage and charitable trusts.

The cases would be taken up March 19. The Zia Orphanage Trust graft case was adjourned for the 19th time, and the Zia Charitable Trust graft case for the 10th time.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Zia, her son and BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, and four others are accused in the orphanage case while Zia and three others are accused in the charitable trust case, reported the Daily Star.

On July 3, 2009, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against Zia, Rahman and four others on the charge of embezzling over Tk2.10 crore by forming the "fake" trust.

The ACC Aug 8, 2011 filed another case against the former prime minister and three others for abusing power in setting up the charity.

Judge Mohammad Rezaul Islam of a special court passed the order after Zia's lawyer pleaded for deferment of the hearing at which charges were to be formally framed against the accused.

Taherul Islam Towhid, a defence lawyer, said Zia could not appear in the court due to illness and requested for the deferment of the hearing.

Mosharrf Hossain Kajal, public prosecutor, said the court could continue the hearing in absence of the BNP chief.

However, the court granted the deferment.