- Khaleda appears before court

- Today’s hearing: Khandker Mahbub interrogates ACC official

- Further hearing on August 3

A Dhaka court fixed August 3 for the next hearing in two corruption cases filed against BNP chief Khaleda Zia after recording statements during cross examinations of the plaintiff in the cases.

Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, lawyer of Khaleda, today cross-examined Harun-or-Rashid, deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Commission for one and a half hours in connection with the Zia Charitable graft cases.

The court proceedings in the Zia Charitable and the Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases started around 10:30am.

Khaleda today appeared before the makeshift court set up at Bakshibazar for proceedings in the cases.

She reached the Bakshibazar court site around 10:10am this morning – some 20 minutes ahead of the court’s sitting schedule.

She waited out inside her vehicle until the trial proceedings started. Her media wing staff Syrul Kabir Khan told The Daily Star that she set out from her Gulshan house around 9:30am.

One of her counsel, Sanaullah Mia, yesterday told the media that she is likely to appear before the court today in the Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases.

According to the charge sheet of the Zia Orphanage case, Khaleda, Tarique and four others embezzled Tk 2.1 crore by forming the charity that exists only on paper.

The statement of the other case say the BNP chief and three others abused power to collect Tk 6.19 crore for Zia Charitable Trust during the BNP-led government's 1991-’96 tenure.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed both the cases.

Khaleda has been irregular in attending case proceedings. She has refrained from appearing before the court on 56 out of 63 dates for hearing in the two cases.