Judgment on Zia’s bail plea deferred

Dhaka, February 25 

Bangladesh’s High Court today deferred the judgment on imprisoned ex-prime minister and main opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s bail petition, saying it would decide after receiving necessary papers from the lower court which has sentenced her.

The 72-year-old three-time former prime minister was given a five-year jail term by Dhaka’s Special Court on February 8 in connection with the embezzlement of USD 250,000 in foreign donations meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust.

“The (two-judge) Bench said it would issue the order on the bail petition after receiving the case documents from the trial court” which is expected to reach the High Court in the next two weeks, a high court official told reporters.

The February 8 verdict virtually shook the country’s political scenario ahead of the general elections while the BNP, the main opposition party outside Parliament, alleged that it was politically motivated to debar Zia from contesting elections, an allegation denied by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led government.

The High Court had earlier this week accepted for hearing her bail petition along with prayers, challenging her conviction and ordered authorities concerned to forward the case records in 15 days.

Political analysts feared that the BNP was now exposed to a political wilderness after Zia’s conviction. —PTI