Khaleda petitions HC to change trial court in graft case

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and BNP chief Khaleda Zia today filed a petition with the High Court seeking a change in the trial court hearing a graft case against her, citing lack of confidence in the judge.
The Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases are being tried in the court of Dhaka's Third Special Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar.
In her petition with the High Court, the 71-year-old leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party accused Judge Jamadar of scheduling hearings hurriedly, sometimes even twice a week, which is not the case in her other trials, bdnews24.Com reported.
Citing the petition, Khaleda's lawyer AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon told reporters that Khaleda on February 2 submitted an application to the Special Judges Court -3 of Dhaka expressing no confidence on the judge of that court on different grounds.

Khaleda's counsel had petitioned the trial court seeking a fresh probe in the Orphanage Trust graft charges.
But before hearing the matter on February 2, Judge Jamadar moved to hear Khaleda's defence statement, the report said.

When her lawyer moved a motion of no-confidence against the judge, he scrapped both the pleas -- for a fresh probe and no-confidence -- and asked how the defendant pleads in the case, guilty or not.
The court adjourned after fixing the next hearing for tomorrow.
If found guilty, Khaleda could be jailed for life.
In 2008, the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman and four others.

They stand accused of embezzling 21 million taka from funds meant for the trust, which reportedly came from a foreign bank.
In August, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case accusing four people, including Zia, of raising funds for the trust from unknown sources allegedly by abusing power.
The court framed chargesheet on these cases in March, 2014.