A special court in Bangladesh granted bail to opposition BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in the two graft cases - Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust- yesterday.
Dhaka Special Court-5 Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman passed the order in response to bail 
petitions.
Zia yesterday surrendered before the makeshift court of Special Judge-5 at Bakshibazar and sought bail in the cases.
On November 30, the court issued an arrest warrant for Zia in two graft cases after cancelling her ad-interim bail as she failed to appear before it on time.
On October 19, the court granted bail to her upon 100,000 taka bond each in the two 
graft cases.
On July 3, 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed a graft case accusing Khaleda Zia, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, and four others for misappropriating over 21mn taka that came as grants from a foreign bank to Zia Orphanage Trust.
On August 8, 2011, the commission filed a case accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of abuse of power in raising funds for the Zia Charitable Trust from unknown sources. 
Zia completed her defence statement in the Zia Orphanage Trust case after securing bail.
The court set December 19, 20 and 21 to hear the arguments in the case. 
The others accused in the case include Khaleda’s son Tarique Rahman, former chief secretary Kamaluddin Siddiqui, late president Ziaur Rahman’s nephew Mominur Rahman, Magura’s former lawmaker Salimul Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed.
Zia, Kamal and Ahmed have secured bail. Tarique Rahman has been living outside the country for the past nine years.
The court has ordered his arrest in the case. The remaining two suspects have been at large since the start of the trial.