Dhaka, Oct 17 (UNB) – BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Wednesday voiced doubts that their Chairperson Khaleda Zia will not get justice in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case as the verdict was written before the ‘completion’ of the trial process.
“Khaleda Zia has been in jail in a fabricated case. The verdict in another case will be given on October 29. Why will it be pronounced on October 29 since the judgment was written long ago?” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said the judge who acquitted Tarique Rahman had said he was given a written verdict while ex-Chief Justice SK Sinha narrated how pressure was created on him to change his verdict. “After knowing these things, it’s a kind of stupidity to expect justice.”
Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB) arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club marking the 11th death anniversary of its former president Prof MA Hadi.
Earlier on Tuesday, Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Judge Court-5 in Dhaka fixed October 29 for pronouncing verdict in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
On February 8 last, Khaleda was convicted in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case by the same court.
Nazrul, a BNP standing committee member, said though thousands of crores of Taka were looted from banks and the financial sector, no one faces any trial for it as the government is not willing to do so. “But it intensified the trial process against our leader (Khaleda) in the Zia Charitable Trust case.”
He said Khaleda has no ability to go to the court to give her self-defence statements since she has been receiving treatment at a hospital following advice of a medical board. “The court now fixed October 29 to deliver verdict in the case in her absence. This situation can’t continue for long.”
The BNP leader urged all to get united to get rid of the current situation through holding a fair, credible and acceptable election.