A special court in Bangladesh's capital has sentenced former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to seven years in jail in a case involving a charity fund named after her late husband.

Judge Md Akhtaruzaman on Monday found her guilty of misuse of power as Prime Minister in collecting $375,000 for the Zia Charitable Trust Fund from unknown sources in a court in Dhaka. Zia was absent in court as she is currently hospitalized while serving a prison term of five years in a separate case.

The judge also sentenced three others to seven years in jail each for collecting the money from undeclared sources.

In February, another court sentenced Zia to five years in jail in a separate charity corruption case.

Zia's party says the charges for both cases are politically motivated.