Supreme Court clears Khaleda Zia of all charges in Zia Charitable Trust case

In a significant legal victory for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division has upheld the High Court‍‍`s ruling, acquitting her in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. 

This ruling also marks her complete acquittal from both the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust corruption cases.

On Monday, March 3, a three-member Appellate Division bench, led by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, rejected the leave-to-appeal petitions filed by the state and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). 

Both the state and the ACC had challenged the High Court’s earlier ruling, which acquitted Khaleda Zia from corruption charges. 

The Supreme Court, however, upheld the acquittal, dismissing the appeals.

With this decision, Khaleda Zia is now fully cleared from legal proceedings in both high-profile corruption cases.

Advocate Maksud Ullah, who represented Khaleda Zia, expressed his satisfaction with the ruling, stating, “With this order from the Appellate Division, Khaleda Zia has been acquitted in both cases.”

The courtroom saw the presence of several prominent BNP-backed lawyers, including Barrister A.M. Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Barrister Md Badruddoza Badal, Advocate Aminul Islam, and Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kajal, who all represented Khaleda Zia. Advocate Asif Hasan appeared on behalf of the ACC.

This ruling follows a series of legal developments dating back several years. On November 27 of last year, the High Court acquitted Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. 

This came after a lower court in Dhaka had sentenced her to seven years in prison back in 2018. 

The High Court not only acquitted Khaleda but also exonerated the two other individuals convicted alongside her, effectively overturning the lower court’s decision.

The Zia Charitable Trust case had been a long-running legal battle. 

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) initially filed the case on August 8, 2011, with Tejgaon Police Station, accusing Khaleda Zia and three others of misusing their power to collect funds from unknown sources to form the Zia Charitable Trust. 

On October 29, 2018, a special court in Dhaka convicted Khaleda Zia in this case, sentencing her to seven years in prison. 

The High Court’s decision to overturn this verdict last November has now been reaffirmed by the Supreme Court.

Earlier this year, in January and February, both the state and the ACC filed leave-to-appeal petitions with the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, seeking to challenge the High Court’s decision. 

They also requested that the Supreme Court put the High Court’s ruling on hold and allow them more time to appeal. 

However, the Supreme Court dismissed these appeals in today’s hearing.

This ruling is seen as a major win for Khaleda Zia, her legal team, and her political supporters. 

It signifies the end of legal proceedings against her in the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust cases, both of which have been closely followed by the public and political observers in Bangladesh.

Khaleda Zia’s legal battle has been a defining issue for the BNP and her supporters, who have long maintained her innocence. 

With the Supreme Court’s latest decision, the former Prime Minister now enjoys full acquittal, marking the end of her long-fought legal troubles in these two cases.