Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been taken to the old central jail at Nazimuddin road in Dhaka’s Old town after a special court awarded her with five years of rigorous imprisonment in much-talked-about Zia Orphanage Trust Graft case.

Khaleda left the court in a white car around 3:00pm and reached the jail gate around 3:13pm.

Judge Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman of special court-5 announced the verdict of the sensational case at a crowded courtroom in Bakshibazar of Dhaka’s old town on Thursday afternoon.

Earlier, the judge read the part of 632-page verdict in Zia Orphanage Trust Graft Case.

The court also handed down 10 years of imprisonment to five other accused including BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman and fined them with Tk 2 crore 10 lakh.

Khaleda Zia and two other accused, former lawmaker of Magura, Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal, and Sharfuddin Ahmed, a businessman were present in the courtroom during the verdict.

Six people are accused in the case, among them three are absconding.

The fugitives are BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, former chief secretary of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Kamal Uddin Sidiqque, and BNP’s founder Ziaur Rahman’s nephew Mominur Rahman.

Earlier on 25 January, Judge Akhtaruzzaman fixed the date for announcing the verdict after the defence had close their arguments.

 Khaleda Zia arrived at the Special Judge Court at Alia Madrassa field at Bakshibazar in Dhaka’s old town on Thursday.

The former prime minister arrived court at about 1:50pm. Earlier, BNP cheif started from her Gulshan residence, Firoza, for the Special Judge Court at Alia Madrassa field at Bakshibazar in Dhaka’s old town at about 11:40am, said BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office media official Shamsuddin Didar.

Several hundred BNP leaders and activists are escorting their party chief’s vehicle to Bakshibazar braving police obstruction when it reached FDC area around 12:30pm and started moving with the vehicle.

Police and BNP leaders, activists involved in a clash and chased each other near the motorcade of BNP chief. The law enforcers also hurled tear shells to take the situation under control.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, now living in the UK, and four others of misappropriating over 2.10 crore that came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.

Zia Orphanage Trust Graft Case at a glance:

•          Case filed with Ramna police on 3 July 2008

•          Plaintiff and investigation official of the case is deputy director of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Harun-Aur Rashid.

•          The case statement says the embezzlement took place from 13 November 1993 to 28 March 2007.

•          Charges framed: 5 August 2010.

•          Number of proceeding days: 261

•          Number of days Khaleda Zia appear before the court: 43

•          Khaleda Zia gave self-defence statements 8 days

•          On 25 January 2018 Special Court-5 Judge Dr Akhteruzzaman fixed 8 February 2018 for delivering the verdict of the case.