Son, tried in absentia, and 4 others jailed for 10 years

DHAKA (TIP): Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was, on February8, sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment for corruption, a body blow for the main Opposition leader who may be disqualified from contesting the next election in December, as thousands of her supporters staged protests against her jailing.

The 72-year-old three-time PM was sentenced by Dhaka’s Special Court in connection with the embezzlement of 21 million taka ($250,000) in foreign donations meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust, named after her late husband Ziaur Rahman, a military ruler-turned-politician.

The verdict simultaneously sentenced Zia’s “fugitive” elder son and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior vice-president Tarique Rahman as he was tried in absentia. Rahman and four others have been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The case is one of dozens pending against Zia, who has been a rival of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for decades. The charges against her had already led to her boycotting polls in 2014, which triggered widespread protests.

Zia, wearing a white sari, appeared in the heavily guarded courtroom amid heightened political tension. While sentencing Zia, the judge read out the abridged version of the 632-page verdict in 10 minutes.

He said though all convicts played an identical role in the crime, Zia was given a lesser term taking into account her “age and social status”. The court also said that the defense tried their best to hinder the trial proceedings as they sought time on 35 occasions in the name of changing the court.

The other convicts are former lawmaker Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal, businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, ex-PM’s  principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui and her nephew Mominur Rahman.

Zia became the second head of government after former dictator-turned-politician HM Ershad to be convicted in a graft case.

“I will be back, there is no need to cry,” Khaleda Zia today told her weeping relatives and supporters, minutes before the three-time former Bangladeshi premier was sentenced to five years in jail related to a graft case.

According to experts, Zia will have to stay in jail for at least three days until Sunday. It will depend on the High Court whether it will give Zia bail or not. The conviction means that Zia, could be barred from contesting the General Elections in December this year.

The law says if someone is convicted for at least two years, he or she cannot contest the election for the next five years, The Daily Star said. n Zia’s case, if the high court gives her bail and yet upholds the sentencing, then she will be disqualified from the poll, it said. — PTI

BNP stares at split

Political analysts believe Bangladesh Nationalist Party may split as several senior leaders could disassociate them from Zia. Their grouse is Zia’s elder son Tarique Rahman, BNP senior vice-president, who is learnt to be wielding authority from London, ignoring the party veterans. Rahman has sought asylum in the UK as he is also facing several criminal charges.

(With inputs from PTI)