The appeal filed with the High Court against the lower court verdict against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case is on the cause list for hearing on Thursday, according to online media outlets.
Alongside the appeal hearing, Khaleda’s lawyers will also apply for her bail on the day at the same bench of the High Court.
According to the HC cause list, the bench comprising Justice Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sahidul Karim will hold hearing on the appeal on Thursday. The appeal is 6th on the cause list.
The lawyers of Khaleda filed the appeal with the concerned section of the court at 3:00 pm on Tuesday. Later at 3:45 pm the lawyers of Khaleda Zia raised the appeal before the bench of Justice Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sahidul Karim. Then the court set Thursday as the day for holding hearing on acceptability of the appeal.
At the outset Khaleda’s lawyer Zainul Abedin told the court that an appeal was filed on behalf of the former prime minister and BNP chairperson.
Then Deputy Attorney General Farhad Ahmed said, “Give us (state counsel) a copy, if there is any application seeking her bail.”
The court then said they (Khaleda’s lawyers) gave only mention slips. “If there is any application, give its copy beforehand.”
Then another lawyer of Khaleda, Mahbub Uddin Khokon, said, “Tomorrow is a holiday. The copy of the application will be available on Thursday morning.”
Fixing Thursday as the date for hearing, the court said, “The ACC cases are usually up for hearing on Wednesday and Thursday. This will be on the cause list on Thursday.”
The BNP will bring out a black-flag procession in the city on Saturday protesting the denial of permission for its planned rally on Thursday demanding release of the party chairperson from jail.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the programme at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office on Wednesday.
"We'd sought police permission to organise a public rally tomorrow (February 22) either at Suhrawardy Udyan or in front of our Nayapaltan office. We'd also taken all necessary preparations. But the police didn't give us permission," he said.
The government has taken all measures so that BNP cannot arrange the rally, Rizvi said.
Noting that the movement for release of BNP chairperson will continue, he said fresh programmes will be announced soon in this regard.
On February 8 last, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was sent to jail after a special court sentenced her to five years' rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.