A Bangladesh court has begun hearing evidence in the trial of former prime minister and main opposition leader Khaleda Zia.
The trial opened Monday in Dhaka, the capital.
Zia is charged with embezzling more than half a million dollars from two charities. She did not make a courtroom appearance.
The anti-corruption court judge rejected Zia's lawyers' request that the case be postponed.
The case has been delayed dozens of times.
Current prime minister Sheikh Hasina swept into power early this year after Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the polls.
The ruling Awami League candidates ran unopposed in more than half of the country's constituencies.
The two women have dominated Bangladesh politics for the last two decades.
