BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, now faces no legal barriers to contesting in future elections, regardless of when they are held.
The High Court’s acquittal in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case has removed all impediments to her electoral participation.
On 11 November, the Appellate Division suspended Khaleda Zia’s 10-year prison sentence in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case, which had been handed down by the High Court.
This followed the presidential clemency granted to her on 6 August after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in the wake of a student-led uprising.
Although Khaleda was released from prison, she pursued further appeals to clear her name in the judicial records.
In 2018, a Dhaka court had sentenced Khaleda Zia to seven years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Tk10 lakh in the Zia Charitable Trust case.
On Wednesday, 27 November, the High Court bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayetur Rahman overturned this verdict, granting acquittal to Khaleda Zia and two co-accused, Ziaul Islam and Monirul Islam Khan.
As per the constitution, individuals convicted of criminal offences carrying sentences exceeding two years are ineligible to run for elections until five years have elapsed since their release.
This restriction led to the disqualification of Khaleda Zia’s candidacy in the 2018 elections. However, legal experts opine that her acquittal in one case and suspension of her sentence in another now restore her eligibility to participate in elections.
While several other cases against her are still pending, none have resulted in convictions to date. Notably, Khaleda was also exonerated from the Coal Mine case on 27 November.
Senior lawyer Zainul Abedin, who represented Khaleda Zia in the Charitable Trust case, stated to reporters, “No witness testified that Khaleda Zia misused her authority to misappropriate the trust’s funds. This case was politically motivated.”
Another of her legal counsels, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, remarked, “The acquittal signifies that Khaleda Zia has finally received justice.”
The other two individuals acquitted alongside Khaleda Zia were Ziaul Islam, the then-personal secretary to the late Harris Chowdhury, and Monirul Islam Khan, who served as the personal secretary to former Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.
This legal victory marks a significant turning point in Khaleda Zia’s political career, potentially heralding her return to active electoral politics.
