Trail against former Bangladesh PM Khaleda started

In Bangladesh, trial for two corruption cases against Begum Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister and main opposition leader started in Dhaka today. The cases relate to embezzling of about 680,000 US dollars. If found guilty, Khaleda could be jailed for life. The trial in the two corruption cases, Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust began with the recording of the deposition of a witness in her absence. 69-year-old Khaleda Zia is the chairperson of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. A five-member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Muzammel Hossain had last week dismissed the petitions of Khaleda Zia.

She had challenged the legality of the appointment of a lower court judge who indicted her in two graft cases, paving the way for her trial on corruption charges.