DHAKA, Nov 03, 2024 (BSS) - The High Court (HC) today granted a petition for preparing the paper book at own cost to file an appeal against a 7-year conviction to BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

A High Court bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain passed the order after Begum Zia’s lawyers submitted the petition.

Senior Advocate Joynul Abedin, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Barrister Md Ruhul Kuddus Kajol, Advocate Aminul Islam and Advocate Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajol moved for the BNP chairperson.

Senior Advocate Joynul Abedin said Begum Khaleda Zia did not seek any favour as she wants disposal of the case legally.

"So, we want to file an appeal before the court against the conviction order against her in the graft case. The concerned court has granted our petition to prepare the paper book of the case at our own cost", Abedin said.

A court here awarded seven years jail to Begum Khaleda Zia and three others in the graft case in October of 2018.

The court also fined them and ordered the concerned authority to take 42 kathas of land bought for the trust into the government custody by confiscating it.

Later, Begum Zia filed an appeal with the High Court against the judgment.

She didn't get justice being refused bail by the court during the ousted fascist government and at one stage, she was freed on conditional bail by the government's executive order.

But, Begum Khaleda Zia was released from the sub-jail on August 6 under an executive order following a joint meeting with President Mohammed Shahabuddin and chiefs of the three services, leaders of different political parties, civil society representatives and anti-discrimination student movement leaders at Bangabhaban on August 5.

Former prime minister and Awami League chief fascist Sheikh Hasina fled the country in the face of the mass uprising led by the anti-discrimination student movement on August 5 last.