Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia Convicted on Corruption Charges
Khaleda Zia might not be able to contest the upcoming national polls in Bangladesh in December.
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Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has been sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment on charges of corruption, reported PTI.
Zia, 72, was convicted by a Dhaka court of embezzling some $250,000 in donations between 2001 and 2006 meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust established when she was the prime minister. Zia's son, Tarique Rahman, was also sentenced to 10 years for involvement in the crime.
According to PTI, Judge Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman, who gave the verdict while Zia was present in the courtroom, said that the shorter term was due to her ‘health and social status.’
Zia’s Party Cries Foul
PTI, quoting legal experts, reported that Zia could face disqualification to contest the upcoming Bangladesh national elections in December.
The Associated Press quoted Bangladesh Law Minister Anisul Huq as saying that Zia would be imprisoned later on Thursday, 8 February. Huq also said that anyone imprisoned for more than two years cannot run for office for the next five years, but that the final decision rests with the courts.
Ruhul Kabir Rizbi, a close Zia aide, rejected the verdict, saying that the current Prime Minister and long time bitter rival of Zia, Sheikh Hasina, was looking for a way to weaken Zia politically.
Unrest in Dhaka
Security was beefed up ahead of the verdict across Bangladesh, especially around governmental organisations, reported PTI. However, Zia’s supporters and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) workers led by Zia, clashed with the Dhaka police on her way to the court.
According to Reuters, the police also used tear gas to disperse thousands of protestors who took to the streets defying an official police ban on public rallies. Videos of motorcycles being set on fire were broadcast on television.
Dhaka authorities cut off bus and ferry services into the city and thousands of riot police spread out to avoid any untoward incident.
The Case
Zia has been convicted for embezzling some $250,000 in donations meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust when she was the prime minister from 2001 to 2006.
According to PTI, the High Court validated the trial in the lower court which on 19 March 2014 had indicted Zia on two graft charges brought by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The ACC alleged that the two charities, the other being the Zia Charitable Trust, existed only on paper and a huge amount of money was misappropriated in the name of the two organisations while Zia was PM.
On 30 November 2014, Zia lost her last ditch effort to evade the graft trial as the Supreme Court turned down her second 'leave to appeal' petition challenging her indictment and asked her to face trial in the lower court, reported PTI.
(With inputs from PTI, Reuters and AP)
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