Dhaka, Mar 26 (Just News): BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has asked her lawyers to maintain unity and move the cases filed against her in consultation with all the senior counsels.
The former premier also expressed concerns as her bail was stayed by the Supreme Court.
“How the Supreme Court has granted the leave-to-appeal petitions filed by the government and the Anti-Corruption Commission against the High Court's bail order!” advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Khaleda's lawyer, told this to a daily quoting Khaleda Zia.
A delegation of six lawyers went to the old central jail on Nazimuddin Road to meet Khaleda. They spent around half an hour there and talked with her about legal issues.
The lawyers are Jamiruddin Sircar, Abdur Rezak Khan, advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain, AJ Mohammad Ali, President of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Joynul Abedin and General Secretary Mahbub Uddin Khokon.
Khandker Mahbub said the SC bar election result cheered up the former premier, who asked the lawyers to maintain unity in the coming days.
“She asked us to maintain unity and move the cases forward in consultation with all the senior lawyers. We have informed her that we are moving the cases unitedly,” he added.
Mahbub Uddin Khokon told journalists that Khaleda Zia wanted to know why she was denied bail.
On the other side, BNP standing committee member Jamiruddin Sircar told journalists that the morale of the former premier is very high and strong.
Khaleda Zia landed in jail after a Dhaka court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on February 8.
Her eldest son and BNP's Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman and four others were also given 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of Tk 2.1 crore each in the politically significant case ahead of the next parliamentary election.
The ACC has meanwhile filed an appeal with the HC challenging what it said was inadequate sentence handed down on Khaleda Zia by the lower court.
The ACC yesterday submitted the appeal to the HC officer concerned, saying that the five other convicts of the same case have been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment.
The ACC in the appeal prayed to the HC to increase the sentence, he added, saying they would place the appeal before the HC on Wednesday for hearing.
Meantime, a Dhaka court yesterday adjourned till April 26 the hearing on charge framing in the Barapukuria coalmine corruption case against Khaleda Zia.
The BNP chief was not produced before the court yesterday in connection with the case.
The ACC on February 26, 2008 filed a case against the BNP chairperson and 15 others on charge of graft in awarding the Barapukuria coal mine operation contract to a Chinese company.
(Justnews/ys/0000hr)
