Dhaka: Police obstructed the protest rally staged by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Friday protesting the verdict awarded to the party’s Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

The law enforcers escorted a procession brought out by hundred leaders and activists of BNP from the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Juma prayers on Friday afternoon.

They were chanting slogans demanding release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Though the police member did not thwarted the procession, they started charging batons over BNP activists when they reached in front of party’s office at Nayapaltan to hold rally at about 2:00pm, claimed the BNP men.

The protestors got dispersed as police foiled their rally and managed to take shelters at adjacent lanes. Some of the BNP leaders took position at their party office and some left the venue.

Witnesses said police also detained some of the activists and took them into the van.

However, police did not make any comment on this issue.

As part of their two-day demonastration programme, BNP leaders and activists scheduled to stage demonstrations across the country after Juma prayers on Friday.

Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday made the announcement immediately after the verdict.

Amid heightening tensions and various speculations, a special court in Dhaka on Thursday convicted the former prime minister and sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in the much-talked-about Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.  The court also handed down 10 years of imprisonment to five other accused including BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman and fined them with Tk 2 crore 10 lakh.

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.

Earlier on 25 January, Judge Akhtaruzzaman fixed the date for announcing the verdict after the defence had close their arguments.

Khaleda Zia arrived at the Special Judge Court at Alia Madrassa field at Bakshibazar in Dhaka’s old town on Thursday.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, now living in the UK, and four others of misappropriating over 2.10 crore that came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.

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.