Nearly nine and a half years after filing of a graft case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and four others, the judgement in the much-talked about Zia Orphanage Trust Graft Case is going to be pronounced on February 8.
If the case was proved by the prosecution the three-time prime minister, Khaleda Zia, would be awarded the highest life term imprisonment.
On completion of the defence arguments, the Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Court-5 fixed the judgement date on Thursday in presence of Khaleda Zia.
The prosecution on December 19 concluded argument in the case and sought the highest punishment for Khaleda and other accused.
On January 16, Khaleda's defence arguments ended with the defence lawyers praying to the court for her acquittal.
Five noted lawyers-Barrister Jamir Uddin Sirkar, former attorney general AJ Mohammad Ali, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Khandakar Mahbub Hossain and Abdur Rezzak Khan concluded their arguments in ten days time in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
With the conclusion of the arguments of accused Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal, a former lawmaker of BNP from Magura, the court on Thursday set the date of pronouncement of the judgement.
ACC chief prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain told this correspondent that the prosecution is able to prove beyond doubt the charges brought against all six accused and he expected that the accused will be awarded the highest punishment.
The ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, during the quasi-military regime of Fakhruddin Ahmed in July 2008, accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, and four others for misappropriating more than Tk 21 million
that had come as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.
The four other accused are-former BNP lawmaker Salimul Haq Kamal, businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, former principal secretary to the prime minister Kamal Uddin Siddique and nephew of late Ziaur Rahman, Mominur Rahman.
Tarique, who has fled to the UK nine years ago, had already been sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in a separate money laundering case.
Former bureaucrat Kamal Uddin Siddique and Mominur Rahman are also absconding, while former lawmaker Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin are in jail.
After investigation, Deputy Director of ACC Harunur Rashid submitted a charge sheet on August 5 in 2009 and the charges were framed on March 19 in 2014. A total of 32 prosecution witnesses including the investigation officer had testified in the case.
The ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3 in 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, who is now living in the UK and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.
Another against Khaleda Zia and others is Zia Charitable Trust graft case, which was filed with Tejgaon police station on August 8 of 2011 for abusing power in raising funds for the Trust from unknown sources.
The court also set January 30, 31 and February 1 for hearing arguments in the Zia Charitable Trust Graft Case.
