The High Court has issued a rule asking why the prison sentence for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case will not be extended.
Khaleda, a three-time prime minister, is serving a five-year jail term in the old jailhouse in Dhaka after being convicted on Feb 8 in the Zia Orphanage Trust case, filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission or ACC.
Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim issued the rule on Wednesday, responding to a petition filed by the ACC, reports bdnews24.com
The state and Khaleda have to respond to the rule within four weeks. The court will hold hearings on the rule and Khaleda’s appeal for commuting the sentence.
The ACC also must clear its stance on seeking a review of the penalty set by the trial court, the High Court said on Wednesday.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan argued for ACC while lawyers, AJ Mohammad Ali, Moudud Ahmed and Zainul Abedin stood for the BNP chief.
Dhaka Fifth Special Judge Akhteruzzaman convicted Khaleda and five others, including Khaleda’s son Tarique Rahman in the case on Feb 8. Tarique and four others were sentenced to 10 years in jail and fined.
Khaleda’s defence team appealed to the High Court on Feb 20 after getting a copy of the verdict. On Feb 22, the High Court heard the lawyers and stayed the fine imposed on Khaleda.
The ACC, which started the case in 2008, filed a petition seeking a review of the punishment on Mar 25. The graft watchdog deems the punishment for Khaleda, the chief suspect in the case, as “inadequate” as other suspects were awarded tougher penalties.
The former prime minister and five others were found guilty of embezzling around Tk 21 million in the Zia Orphanage Trust case.
