BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has moved to stay the High Court order which doubled the trial court’s jail term to 10 years in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

The petition filed with the Appellate Division on Monday (Nov 19) also seeks bail for her in the case, said Khaleda’s counsel Kaisar Kamal.
“A 1,400-page appeal has been filed, which will be heard in line with the due process, that is when it will be included in the cause list. The petition seeks to stay the High Court verdict of the 10-year term, quash the trial court’s verdict and bail as that was the case when the High Court was hearing the matter,” he said.
On Feb 8, the court of Dhaka Special Judge-5 sentenced the BNP chief to five years imprisonment while four others other including her son Tarique Rahman were given 10 years in jail after convicting them of embezzling funds meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust.
The three other convicts are Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal, Sharifuddin Ahmed and Mominur Rahman.
Khaleda’s counsels challenged the verdict in the High Court while the Anti-Corruption Commission appealed for a harsher sentence.
On Mar 28, the bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman issued a ruling asking why her sentence won’t be extended.
The same bench, in the meanwhile, granted bail to Khaleda, which was challenged by the State in the Appellate Division. Her bail was upheld until May 16, but the High Court was ordered to dispose the matter by July.
On Oct 30, the High Court gave its verdict when the former premier’s jail term was extended to 10 years.
Khaleda is currently serving her jail term at the old Dhaka jailhouse.