January 16, 2025: Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has acquitted former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the last remaining corruption case against her, paving the way for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson to run in upcoming elections. The court also cleared charges against Tarique Rahman, the BNP’s Acting Chairman, and other suspects involved in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
The ruling, delivered by a bench led by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed, came after a thorough review of Zia’s appeal against the High Court’s decision. This decision marks a significant moment in the legal and political landscape of Bangladesh, as Zia, at 79 years old, has been fighting legal battles for years.
Zia, who had faced a total of 17 years in prison—10 years for the orphanage case and seven for another corruption charge—was acquitted in November from the latter after the fall of her political rival, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The acquittal in the orphanage case further strengthens her political standing.
Khaleda Zia had been sentenced to prison on February 8, 2018, by Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-5, under charges of embezzling $250,000 in government funds during her tenure as prime minister in 1991. A High Court ruling in 2018 increased her sentence to 10 years, but she appealed the decision.
The acquittal comes after years of legal delays and procedural issues, with the Supreme Court granting a leave-to-appeal in November 2024. In its verdict, the Court described the prosecution as “malicious” and motivated by political revenge, thus officially clearing Zia and the other accused, including her son Tarique and former chief secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui.
Zia’s release from prison in 2020, after a suspension of her jail term due to health concerns, and her subsequent house arrest until August 2024, had kept her from participating in political activities. Following the downfall of Hasina’s government, she was released from house arrest, and the latest legal victory positions her to take an active role in the next election.
This ruling has profound implications for the upcoming elections, as it allows Khaleda Zia to contest, lifting the legal barrier that previously prohibited anyone sentenced to over two years of imprisonment from seeking political office for five years. With her acquittal, Zia’s participation in the political process is now officially back on the table, setting the stage for a new chapter in Bangladesh’s political dynamics.