Khaleda Zia’s 10-year sentence in Zia Orphanage Trust case suspended

The Supreme Court has temporarily suspended the 10-year prison sentence of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. 

The decision was made on Monday, November 11, by a three-judge bench led by Acting Chief Justice Ashfaqul Islam.

Along with this, the court gave Khaleda Zia permission to appeal the case. The judges also ordered that a summary of the case be submitted within the next two weeks.

Earlier, on November 4, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had stated that no money had been stolen from the Zia Orphanage Trust. That same day, the Appellate Division’s Chamber Judge, Justice Md. 

Rezaul Haque, had scheduled November 10 for a hearing on two petitions filed by Khaleda Zia, asking for permission to appeal her conviction.

Khaleda Zia first filed these two petitions with the Appellate Division on March 14, 2019. 

The case dates back to February 8, 2018, when the Special Judge, Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman, sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years in prison for her involvement in the Zia Orphanage Trust case. 

The court’s ruling was delivered at a special court set up in Baksibazar, Dhaka.

Along with Khaleda Zia, several others were also sentenced, including her son Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), former Magura MP Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal, businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, Dr. Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, and Mominur Rahman, all of whom received 10-year sentences.

After the verdict, Khaleda Zia appealed to the High Court on February 20, 2018. 

The High Court took up the case and, on March 28, issued a rule following a petition from the ACC asking for an increase in Khaleda Zia’s sentence. 

On October 30, 2018, the High Court ruled to extend her sentence from five to ten years, agreeing with the ACC’s request.

The High Court also rejected appeals from Khaleda Zia, Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal (former MP), and Sharfuddin Ahmed, who had asked for their sentences to be reduced or canceled.

On October 29, 2018, just before the High Court ruling, Special Judge Md. Akhtaruzzaman had also delivered another ruling in the Zia Charitable Trust case, sentencing Khaleda Zia to seven years in prison, along with a fine of 10 lakh taka.

If she didn’t pay the fine, she would face an additional six-month sentence. The same ruling applied to three other co-defendants.

Khaleda Zia then filed an appeal against this ruling with the High Court on November 18, 2018. 

On November 4, 2019, the High Court began the process of hearing her appeal against the seven-year sentence. 

Khaleda Zia also asked the court to allow her to prepare a paper book (case summary) at her own cost, which was approved. 

The hearing will proceed once the paper book is ready.

While the President had already pardoned Khaleda Zia in both cases, her lawyers argue that the legal process should continue.

They emphasized that, although the pardon was granted, Khaleda Zia has always respected the law and has never admitted to any crime, nor has she asked for forgiveness. 

As a result, her legal team has been instructed to continue fighting the case in court.