Bangladesh Supreme Court acquits former Prime Minister Khaleda in corruption case by Reuters

DHAKA (Reuters) – Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in a 2008 corruption case, paving the way for the ailing leader to contest parliamentary elections in the troubled South Asian nation.

This ruling is the latest legal victory for Khaleda and her family, one of the two main groups that have dominated the country’s politics.

A five-judge panel led by Chief Justice Syed Rifaat Ahmed acquitted Khaleda, her son Tariq Rahman and others, and annulled the prison sentences handed down by the Supreme Court in 2018.

At the time, Bangladesh was ruled by Khaleda’s rival, Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as prime minister in August, when mass protests forced her to resign and flee to neighboring India.

The case dates back to 2008, and Khaleda and others are accused of stealing 21 million taka ($173,000) in foreign donations to an orphan fund that was established when she was prime minister from 2001 to 2006.

“The case was so despicable that those who appealed and those who could not appeal were all acquitted,” defense lawyer Zain al-Abidin said after the ruling.

In November, Khaleda, 79, was acquitted of another corruption case in which she was accused of embezzling 31.5 million taka from another trust fund in 2005.

Last week, Khaleda, who was suffering from health problems such as cirrhosis of the liver and heart problems, was transferred to London to receive treatment.

Last month, the Supreme Court acquitted Rehman and others of the 2004 hand grenade attack on a Hasina rally. Rahman is the acting president of Khaleda’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and has been in exile in London.

Since last August, Bangladesh has been ruled by an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party called for general elections to be held by next August in the greater interest of the country, citing growing political and economic instability.

($1 = 121.5000 taka)