DHAKA: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has expressed her doubt over justice in connection with the Zia Charitable Trust Graft case and the Zia Orphanage Trust Graft case. She said that conspiracy is being hatched against her.

The BNP chief said these while delivering her self-defense statement before the special court set up in on the premises of Dhaka Alia Madrasah at Bakshi Bazar in the city on Thursday (November 16)

Khaleda Zia blamed the incumbent government for creating a culture of impunity in the country. She said that she is concerned over the scope and atmosphere of getting justice, as the scope has totally been destroyed disgustingly.

Referring to the resignation of Chief Justice SK Sinha, she said that SK Sinha has been made sick in a planned way and forced to leave. “Under this circumstance, I have to appear before the court with confusion, whether I would get justice,” she said.

Khaleda Zia said that the government has lodged at least 36 cases against her based on false and baseless allegations in a bid to isolate her from the countrymen.

“All cases are politically motivated, fabricated and baseless. It has been done only to harass me and to tarnish my dignity before the people,” she said.

The BNP chief gave her self-defense statement in the two graft cases before the special court for over an hour. The court asked her to appear before it on November 23 for placing her further self-defense statement in the two graft cases.

Dr Md Akhteruzzaman, judge the special court, recorded her Thursday’s statement and extended Khaleda Zia’s bail until November 23.

The court also closed recording statements of the witnesses in the Zia Charitable Trust Graft case.

In July 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the Zia Orphanage Trust Graft case with Ramna police station accusing Khaleda Zia, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, and four others of misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that had come as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.

On August 8 in 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust Graft case with Tejgaon police station, accusing four people, including the BNP chief, of raising funds for the trust from unknown sources through power abuse.

BDST: 1900 HRS, NOV 16, 2017
EHJ