TDS Desk:

The High Court on Wednesday acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case in which she was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment by a lower court.

A High Court bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain gave the verdict on Wednesday.

“The court listened to us and stated, ‘I have read the appeal line by line and reviewed the evidence. The arguments you have presented have a legal basis. I accept the appeal.’ This means the appeal has been approved.” Zainul Abedin, a lawyer in the case, briefed reporters at the court premises after the verdict.

The trial court delivered its verdict in the Zia Charitable Trust case on 29 October 2018. Khaleda Zia was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined Tk1 million. On 18 November of the same year, she appealed against the verdict to the High Court. After hearing the petition, a High Court bench accepted the appeal for hearing on 30 April 2018 and stayed the financial penalty imposed by the trial court.

Following the fall of the Awami League government amid student and public protests on 5 August, Khaleda Zia was released on 6 August.