Bangladesh court adjourns Zia's graft case hearing till Jan 12

Dhaka: A Bangladeshi court on Thursday adjourned till January 12 the hearing of graft cases against former prime minister and BNP chief Khaleda Zia in which she could be jailed for life if found guilty.

The former prime minister appeared before the court of Dhaka's Third Special Judge Abu Ahmad Jamadar which fixed January 12 to conclude hearing her defence statement in Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage corruption cases against her, the Daily Star reported.

Previously on December 21, the special court had deferred the hearing of Zia's presentation of self defence and set the date for today.

In 2008, the Anti Corruption Commission filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against six including Zia and her son Tarique Rahman.

It alleged that the defendants had embezzled 21 million Bangladeshi Taka from funds meant for the trust, which reportedly came from a foreign bank.

In 2011, the anti-corruption watchdog sued the BNP chief and three others for embezzlement of 31.5 million Bangladeshi Taka (USD 4 lakh) of the Zia Charitable Trust.

ACC Deputy Director Harunur Rashid, also an investigation officer of the case, pressed charges against the accused on January 16, 2012.