Dhaka, Nov 10 (V7N) — The Supreme Court has scheduled tomorrow, Monday, to issue a ruling on an appeal for leave against the 10-year prison sentence of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. This decision was announced by a bench headed by Senior Judge of the Appellate Division, Justice Ashfaqul Islam, on Sunday.

Representing Khaleda Zia, Senior Lawyer Zainul Abedin, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal, and Barrister Qaiser Kamal argued in court, while Attorney General Asaduzzaman represented the state. An Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer stated that the funds of the Zia Orphanage Trust were found in the trust's account, with no evidence of illegal transfer or cheque exchange.

Khaleda Zia's defence team argued that the verdict was politically motivated, aimed at preventing her from participating in politics and elections.

In 2018, a judicial court initially sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years in prison on corruption charges involving the Zia Orphanage Trust, while five other co-defendants received 10-year sentences. The case also imposed a fine of Tk 20 million on Khaleda’s son Tariq Rahman and the other co-defendants, including former Chief Secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, former MP Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal, businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, and Ziaur Rahman's nephew Mominur Rahman. Tariq Rahman, Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, and Mominur Rahman remain at large.

Khaleda Zia and two others appealed to the High Court for acquittal, but in October 2018, a High Court bench led by Justice M. Inayetur Rahim and Justice Md. Mostafizur Rahman extended her sentence to 10 years. Khaleda Zia then appealed against the High Court's ruling to the Appellate Division.

The full Appellate Division bench, led by the Chief Justice, will issue its order on the appeal tomorrow, with Khaleda’s legal team hoping for a favourable decision that could influence her political future.

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