Khaleda Zia, other accused acquitted in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and all other accused from the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case, in which they were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

A five-member Appellate Division bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, pronounced the verdict after reviewing Khaleda Zia’s appeal against the High Court’s ruling on Wednesday (January 15) morning.

The court also cancelled the earlier verdict of the HC and the trial court.

Earlier, on February 8, 2018, Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-5 sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years of imprisonment for alleged embezzlement of government funds in the name of the Zia Orphanage Trust.

The same verdict handed down 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for five other accused, including Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman and former chief secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui. Each of the accused was also fined Tk2.1 crore.

Among the accused, Tarique Rahman, Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, and Ziaur Rahman’s nephew Mominur Rahman have remained absconding.

Khaleda Zia appealed the trial court’s verdict to the High Court, but the sentence was increased to 10 years by a High Court bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman on October 30, 2018.

Khaleda Zia subsequently filed a leave-to-appeal petition against this sentence.

Following years of delays due to legal procedural issues and a lack of initiative from lawyers, the Appellate Division accepted Khaleda Zia’s leave-to-appeal on November 11, 2024.

The court also stayed the High Court’s 10-year sentence pending the final hearing of the appeal.

After concluding the hearing, the Appellate Division announced its decision to acquit Khaleda Zia, officially clearing her of the charges in the case.