Khaleda Zia may attend Sunday's graft cases hearing

Bangladesh ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who faces an arrest warrant, may attend the hearings of graft cases against her on Sunday, an official said on Saturday.

The hearing of the Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases are scheduled for Sunday, bdnews24 reported.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief has been staying at her Gulshan office since January 3.

"There's a possibility that she may appear before the court, but it depends on the situation," BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said.

Meanwhile, one of her counsels Sanaullah Mia said: "She is a law-abiding citizen. She wants to attend the hearings and she will. Much, however, depends on the current situation, especially her security is a major concern."

In 2008, ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against six people, including Khaleda and her son Tarique.

It alleged that the defendants misappropriated 21 million taka (about $270,000) from funds meant for the trust, which reportedly came from a foreign bank.

In 2011, the anti-corruption watchdog prosecuted the BNP chief and three others for embezzlement of 31.5 million taka of the Zia Charitable Trust.