'Khaleda fine, urges all to continue peaceful movement'

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said their jailed chairperson Khaleda Zia urged people not to pay heed to anyone's provocation and continue the peaceful movement, reports UNB.

"Khaleda's health is well. She urged all not to pay heed to anyone's provocation and continue the movement in a peaceful manner," said Fakhrul while talking to reporters after coming out of the abandoned central jail at Nazimuddin Road in the city.

"Khaleda Zia's morale is high....she's facing the adverse situation with courage. She said she's ready for any sacrifice for the sake of the country, for the sake of democracy," he said.

Earlier, an 8-member BNP delegation, including its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, met their chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail in the afternoon.

BNP standing committee members Mirza Fakhrul, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Mahbubur Rahman, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Mirza Abbas, and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury entered the jail around 2:50pm while Jamiruddin Sircar at 3:15pm. They stayed there for around 4:30 pm.

On 8 February last, a special court in Dhaka sentenced Khaleda to five years' rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

Khaleda, a 73-year-old a former prime minister, was taken to the old central jail minutes after the verdict had been delivered.