Order on Khaleda's petitions over Zia Orphanage case Monday

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court will pass its order on Monday on two leave to appeal petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the High Court verdict that doubled her five-year jail term in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam today set the date for the delivery of an order after concluding hearing on the matters.

Advocate Zainul Abedin, Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Barrister Kayser Kamal and Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal appeared for Khaleda while Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and Advocate Asif Hasan represented the state and Anti-Corruption Commission respectively during Sunday's hearing.

Khaleda, also former prime minister, filed the leave to appeal petitions with the Appellate Division on March 14, 2019 through his lawyer challenging the HC verdict.

In the petitions, she prayed to the apex court to scrap her 10-year sentence.

Khaleda landed in jail on February 8, 2018, after a special court in Dhaka sentenced her to five years in jail in connection with the case.

Subsequently, a petition was filed by the ACC, following which the HC on October 30 increased the punishment to 10 years' imprisonment.

On November 3, the HC allowed Khaleda to prepare paper books for hearing her another appeal against a lower court judgement that convicted and sentenced her to seven years' imprisonment in Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.