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Bangladesh top court acquits ex-PM Khaleda Zia in corruption case

Agencies
Thursday, Jan 16, 2025

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has acquitted ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia in a 2008 corruption case, overturning a previous 10-year prison sentence.

In 2018, the country’s High Court had convicted Zia and others of misappropriating funds meant for orphans when she was last prime minister, from 2001 to 2006.

But following an appeal, a five-judge panel led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed on Wednesday acquitted Zia and all other defendants in the case, including her son and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairperson Tarique Rahman.

“The case was so vile that both those who appealed and those who couldn’t appeal have all been acquitted,” defence lawyer Zainul Abedin told the press after the verdict.

On Wednesday, Zia’s legal team expressed optimism that the Supreme Court’s ruling could pave the way for her to run in the next parliamentary elections, expected to be held late this year or early 2026.