A Dhaka court on Thursday extended until April 22 the bail of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case, reports The Daily Prothom Alo.

Judge Md Akhteruzzaman of the Special Judge Court-5 passed the order following a petition filed by the BNP chief’s lawyers.

The BNP chairperson was not produced before the court on Thursday as she was ill, said her lawyer Md Sanaullah Miah.

However, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajal filed a petition seeking to continue the hearing of the case through video conference as the former prime minister was ill.

On March 28, the same court extended until April 5 the bail of the BNP chair in the graft case.

The court order came after the ACC had appealed to it, saying it was not possible to continue arguments in the case without the presence of Khaleda Zia.

On March 13, the court had ordered the jail authorities to produce Khaleda Zia before it on March 28 and 29 for hearing.

On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.

The same court on February 8 last convicted her in the case and sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment.