Dhaka: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) today allowed two leave to appeal petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, staying the High Court order that extended her five-year jail term to 10 in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. A three-member apex court bench, headed by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, issued the order, stating that Khaleda Zia's sentence would remain stayed until the appeal in the case is decided. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the apex court has instructed the defence to submit concise statements on their appeal within two weeks, outlining the points on which they will base their arguments. Khaleda Zia's counsel, Barrister Kayser Kamal, stated, "The Appellate Division has stayed the execution of the sentence in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. It will hold a hearing on Khaleda Zia's appeal after completing the necessary process." Senior advocates Zainul Abedin, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Barrister Kayser Kamal, Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Advocate Gazi Qamrul Islam Sazal, and Jakir Hossain Bhuiyan represented Khaleda Zia, while Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and Advocate Asif Hasan argued for the state and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). "We have argued that the prosecution could not show any documents that Begum Khaleda Zia approved any note, or signed any cheques; they could not show any signature of Begum Khaleda Zia on any government documents. Even the fund, we are talking about, is in the bank intact," Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon told newsmen. He questioned the basis of Khaleda Zia's conviction for money embezzlement. Barrister Kayser Kamal remarked that the case had political motivations, asserting that the lower court's judgment in February 2018 was illegal. He criticized the High Court for allegedly being politically biased, which resulted in enhancing Khaleda Zia's jail term to 10 years after a one-sided hearing. He added, "Even the ACC counsel after reading out the FIR said a single penny wasn't embezzled from the fund of Taka 2.33 crore. The whole fund is in the bank." During the hearing, Begum Khaleda Zia's lawyer Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal argued that the lower court and the High Court sentenced her based on proofs that lack evidential value. He emphasized, "That's why we pleaded for quashing of the judgments of the lower court and the High Court as well." Dhaka Special Judge Court-5, on February 8, 2018, convicted former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the case. It also sentenced five others, including her son and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, to 10 years' imprisonment each. The High Court extended the BNP chief's jail term to 10 years on October 30, 2018.
