Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and all accused acquitted in Zia Orphanage Trust case!

The Appellate Division has acquitted all accused including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman in the Orphanage Trust corruption case.

The Appellate Division has acquitted Khaleda Zia by granting her appeal against the High Court's 10-year prison sentence in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. A five-member appeal bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed gave the verdict on Wednesday.

The verdict said that the verdicts of the High Court and the trial court have been quashed and the case was malicious. All the accused in the case have been acquitted.

After the verdict, Khaleda Zia's lead lawyer Zainul Abedin said, "This case was baseless. Today's verdict of the court reflects the independence of the judiciary."

On the other hand, ACC lawyer Asif Hasan said, "The case has been identified as a malice prosecution. Now the ACC will take the next decision."

In 2018, Khaleda Zia was sentenced to five years in prison by Dhaka's Special Judge's Court-5. Later, the High Court increased the sentence to 10 years. When Khaleda Zia appealed against it, the Appellate Division today overturned the verdict and acquitted her.

Although the acquittal verdict was called historic by the BNP, the ACC said it would reconsider the matter.