ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia has been sentenced to five years in jail for corruption.
The verdict was read out in a court in Dhaka after police used tear gas to disperse thousands of her supporters.
Ms Zia, 72, denies misusing international funds donated to a charitable children’s trust. The sentence means she is barred from parliamentary polls due this year. She said the charges were politically motivated.
The case is one of dozens pending against Ms Zia, who has been a rival of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for decades. Ms Zia’s son Tarique Rahman was also given 10 years in jail.