Dhaka: Special Judge Court at Alia Madrassa field at Bakshibazar in Dhaka’s old town is now waiting for the arrival of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

A Dhaka court will deliver its verdict on Thursday in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and five others.

Judge Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman of the makeshift court fixed the date on January 25 on completion of the argument hearing.

However, the court did not mention any time for declaring the verdict. Even, Dr Akhteruzzaman will declare whether the verdict will be delivered today or not, after entering into the court room.

The judge will enter into the court room after Khaleda Zia’s arrival at the court, said the chairperson’s counsel Sanaullah Mia.

A chair has kept ready for the former prime minister at the court room. Police officials, including female police, are standing there in three rows near the chair.

Members of police, Special Branch, National Security Intelligence (NSI), Detective Branch (DB), Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and other intelligence agencies are waiting inside the court room.

Moreover, Barrister Mir Nasir, Masud Ahmed Talukder, Khaleda Zia’s counsel Abdur Rezak Khan, Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Nitai Roy are also present in the court. Some lawyers of Anti-Corruption commission are waiting there for the verdict.

Earlier, two other accused of the case—Salimul Haque Kamal and Sharfuddin Ahmed—were brought to the court at about 8:45am. 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.

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.