<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) today set tomorrow to pronounce its judgment on an appeal filed by BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia challenging a High Court order that extended her five-year jail term to 10 in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Hearing is concluded and tomorrow for judgment," said the order passed by the Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The apex court gave the order after holding a hearing on the appeal in the case.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Senior lawyers Zainul Abedin, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Badruddoza Badal, Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Kaiser Kamal, and Adv Gazi Qamrul Islam Sazal took part in the hearing for the former prime minister.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, Additional Attorney Generals Mohammad Arshadur Rouf and Aneek Rushd Haque stood for the state, while Adv Md Asif Hasan argued for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The apex court on November 11, 2024, allowed two leave to appeal petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, staying the High Court order that extended her five-year jail term to 10 in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Begum Khaleda Zia's counsels in their arguments stated that the prosecution could not able to show any documents that she approved any note, or signed any cheque; they could not show any signature of Begum Khaleda Zia on any government document.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Even the fund, we are talking about, is in the bank intact," Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"This infamous case was filed with a political scheme. The lower court concerned in February 2018, gave the judgment illegally. The High Court after that, being politically biased, gave a judgment illegally, enhancing Begum Khaleda Zia's five-year jail term to 10 years after holding a one-sided hearing," Barrister Kayser Kamal said earlier.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Even the ACC counsel after reading out the FIR said a single penny wasn't embezzled from fund of Taka 2.33 crore. The whole fund is in the bank," he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 on February 8, 2018, convicted former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the case.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It also sentenced five others including her son and BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to 10 years' imprisonment each.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The High Court on October 30, 2018, extended the BNP chief's jail term to 10 years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">BN/KH</div>