Dhaka, March 3 -- The Appellate Division has acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

A three-member appellate bench led by senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam delivered the verdict in the case on Monday morning.

The state and the Anti-Corruption Commission had filed an appeal against the High Court verdict that cleared the BNP chairperson of charges in the case. Bangladesh's top court then set Monday for the verdict.

On Oct 29, 2018, Khaleda was sentenced to prison for seven years and fined Tk 1 million in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

On Apr 30 the following year, the High Court accepted a petition to appeal the case, but no hearings were held afterwards.

After the fall of the Awami League r...