BNP chief Khaleda Zia has filed revision plea with the High Court to stay the trial proceedings of the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
It also sought a rule from the court seeking explanation over the order by the special judge’s court to continue the trial in absence of the former prime minister.
On Sept 20, Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 ordered the continuation of the trial proceedings of the case at the Old Dhaka Central Jail in absence of Khaleda.
Judge Md Akhteruzzaman passed the order following a petition by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sept 13.
On Sept 4, a gazette notification was published to hold the trial at the Old Dhaka Central Jail after setting up a makeshift court there.
Khaleda was produced in court the next day when she stated that she was sick and she will neither be able to appear before the court repeatedly nor can stay there for a long time.
In February this year, the same court sentenced her to five years in jail for embezzling foreign donations made to the Zia Orphanage Trust. The former prime minister has been serving her term at the old jailhouse since then.
The ACC started the Zia Charitable Trust graft case in 2010 against the BNP chief and three others for embezzlement of Tk 31.5 million.
The others accused in the case are Khaleda’s former political secretary Harris Chowdhury, his former personal assistant Ziaul Islam Munna and former Dhaka City mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka’s personal assistant Monirul Islam Khan.
Harris has been absconding since the case was started while Munna and Monirul made appearances in court.