Dhaka, 12 Mar, Abnews: The High Court on Monday granted a four months bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
Th hearing over the bail of the chief of the main opposition outside parliament was held in the afternoon as case documents reached the court the previous day.
The HC bench of Justice Mohammad Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim issued the bail order at about 2:20pm.
Earlier, on Sunday, the HC bench deferred its order on a petition seeking bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the case.
On February 22, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia filed petition with the High Court seeking bail in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
Barrister Nowshad Jamir and Barrister Kaiser Kamal, on behalf of the BNP chief, submitted the 880-page bail petition showing 31 grounds for granting her bail.
On Feb 8, a Dhaka court sentenced BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to five years of rigorous imprisonment and fines her Tk 2 crore for financial irregularities in the Zia Orphanage Trust.
The makeshift court delivered the verdict amid tight security. It also awarded 10 years of imprisonment to five others including her son Tarique Rahman.
Khaleda was present in the court at the time of pronouncing the verdict.
The court also fined Tk 2.10 crore each in the politically significant case ahead of the parliamentary election.
After Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, Khaleda is the second head of the government convicted in a graft case.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, now living in the UK, and four others of misappropriating over 2.10 crore that came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.
Four other accused are former BNP MP Salimul Haq Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddique and Mominur Rahman, nephew of late President Ziaur Rahman.Kamal Uddin Siddique and Mominur Rahman have long been absconding.
ABN/Adrian/Jasim/AD