A Dhaka court on Thursday cancelled BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s bail and issued arrest warrants against her in two graft cases, reports UNB.

The graft cases - Zia Orphanage graft case and Zia Charitable Trust graft case -were filed in 2008 during the military-propelled emergency government.

Dhaka Special Court-5 judge Md Akhtaruzzaman passed the order rejecting a petition filed by the defendant seeking adjournment of the hearing as the BNP chief failed to appear before it due to the eight-hour general strike.

Khaleda's counsels Mahabub Uddin Khokon and Sanaullah Miah submitted a petition to the makeshift court of Special Judge-5 at Bakshibazar, citing their clients' delay in court appearance due to strike on security grounds.

As the BNP chief was in bail till Thursday, the court issued arrest warrant against her cancelling the bail, said the counsels said.

On 3 July 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case with Ramna police station accusing Khaleda Zia, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, and four others for misappropriating over Tk 21.0 million (2.10 crore) that came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.

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