Bangladesh High Court acquits former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in corruption case | Corruption News

The decision is the latest victory for the former prime minister who was released from house arrest after Sheikh Hasina was ousted in August.

Bangladesh’s Supreme Court acquitted former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in a corruption case in 2008, overturning a previous 10-year prison sentence.

In 2018, the country’s Supreme Court convicted Zia and others of misusing funds meant for orphans during his last prime ministership, from 2001 to 2006.

But following an appeal, a five-judge panel headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed on Wednesday acquitted Zia and all other accused in the case, including his son and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) vice-chairman Tarique Rahman.

“The case was so bad that those who appealed and those who could not object were all acquitted,” said defense lawyer Zainul Abedin telling the media after the verdict.

The decision is the latest victory for Zia, 79, and his family’s BNP, one of the country’s two main political parties.

Last November, Zia was acquitted of another corruption case in which he was accused of misappropriating 31.5 million taka ($260,000) from another trust in 2005.

Earlier this month, he was flown to London for treatment of his health problems including cirrhosis and heart problems.

Since August, Bangladesh has been ruled by a caretaker government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India following mass protests against her rule.

Hasina’s overthrow led to Zia’s release from house arrest in August. The former prime minister had suspended Zia’s sentence on health grounds until 2020, on the condition that his long-time rival refused to travel abroad and participate in politics.

The BNP has always maintained that the charges are politically motivated, accusing the then Hasina government of targeting Zia for political reasons.

On Wednesday, Zia’s legal team expressed their hope that the Supreme Court’s decision could pave the way for him to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections, which are expected to be held late this year or early 2026.

Last month, the high court also acquitted Rahman and others in the 2004 bombing of a rally in Hasina.