Khaleda Zia's absence in  hearing again today

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has skipped the trial proceedings of Zia Charitable and Zia Orphanage Trust corruption cases due to her illness.

BNP Chief Khaleda could not appear before a makeshift court at Bakshibazar in Dhaka today, her lawyer Taherul Islam Towhid told The Daily Star.

Meanwhile, the special Dhaka court is recording statements of the witnesses during today’s hearing.

Earlier, Khaleda skipped the court hearing of the cases on August 10 showing the same reason.

On that day, Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar of the Special Judge Court-3 fixed today (August 27) for next hearing.

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 tenure between 1991 and 1996.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed both the cases.

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