Dhaka [Bangladesh], Oct 29 (NT): Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khalida Zia and three others were given punishment to seven years in prison on Monday in links with Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

A Dhaka court delivered the judgment almost seven years after the case was filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2011. A fine of 10 lakh taka each has also been slapped on the accused, who will have to serve an additional six more months in jail if they do not pay it.

Here are other three accused in the case –

Khaleda’s former political secretary Harris Chowdhury.

 Harris’ assistant private secretary Ziaul Islam Munna.

Monirul Islam Khan, the assistant private secretary to former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

Worth mention here Zia, chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and the three other accused distorted their positions to lift up funds for Zia Charitable Trust from unidentified sources asDhaka Tribune reported.

Zia is already serving five years in jail after being convicted in Zia Orphanage Trust graft lawsuit. The case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2008 pertains to alleged misuse of funds amounting to 2.1 crore taka that were said to have release from a foreign bank in the form of funding for orphans.

It is must be noted that the 73-year-old leader has served as Bangladesh Prime Minister for two terms from 1991 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2006. (NT)