Bangladesh HC rejects former PM Begum Khaleda Zia’s bail plea

The High court of Bangladesh on Wednesday rejected the bail plea filed by the former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case in which she is serving seven years jail term.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh had filed a graft case against three time Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and three others in 2011 for embezzling money from Zia Charitable Trust.

A special court sentenced her to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in 2018.

The BNP has been demanding release of Begum Khaleda Zia.

On July 26, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir urged the government to immediately free Begum Khaleda Zia and other BNP leaders by withdrawing cases against them which he termed as ‘false cases’.

It also warned of agitation if Begum Khaleda Zia is not released immediately.