High Court rejects former prime minister Khaleda Zia's plea

The High Court on Thursday rejected former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia's plea and cleared the way for a lower court to continue the trial proceedings against her in a graft case.

Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Mahmudul Haque of the High Court bench rejected the petition by Khaleda in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case considering that the petition was not submitted properly before the court, reports the Daily Star.

Khaleda had on March 9 challenged the legality of appointment of Harunur Rashid, the investigating officer of the case, saying that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has not published any gazette notice.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the graft case in August 2011, accusing Khaleda and three others of abusing power in setting up the charity.

The other accused include Harris Chowdhury, Khaleda's former political secretary, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) of Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS of former mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.