Bangladesh's Supreme Court has acquitted former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the last corruption case against her, clearing the way for her potential participation in upcoming elections. The court overturned a 10-year jail sentence imposed by the High Court in 2018, related to charges of embezzling funds meant for an orphanage trust established during Zia's tenure as prime minister in 1991.
Zia, who is currently in London for medical treatment, had faced a total of 17 years in prison across two corruption cases. The recent acquittal in this case, along with a previous clearance following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has raised the possibility of Zia's return to the political arena.
The Supreme Court's decision also benefited Zia's son, Tarique Rahman, and four others who were sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with the same case. Rahman, seen as the heir apparent in Zia's party, has been cleared of all charges alongside his mother.
According to Zia's lawyers, the acquittal enables her to contest in the upcoming elections, which are expected to take place either in December or in the first half of 2026. Bangladesh law prohibits individuals imprisoned for more than two years from running for political office for the subsequent five years.
Zia and Hasina, longstanding political rivals in Bangladesh, have played significant roles in the country's politics for decades. Hasina was ousted from office last August following a mass uprising, leading to a period of political transition in the nation.
The corruption allegations against Zia and her associates have been vehemently denied by their defense lawyers and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, who claim the charges are politically motivated. Zia, the wife of late President Ziaur Rahman, and Hasina, the daughter of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, represent two prominent political legacies in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, Hasina remains in exile in India, facing charges of mass killing under the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. A special tribunal has sought international assistance for Hasina's arrest, including reaching out to Interpol and requesting India's cooperation in her extradition.
