Khaleda release still to take time: Moudud

Blaming the Awami League government for creating barrier to release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, the party's senior leader Moudud Ahmed said she needs to take bail in a few other cases, despite the bail upheld by the Supreme Court.

“The BNP chairperson has been shown arrested in several cases pending with the lower court. She has to secure bail in those cases. We have to wait [for her release] as long as it takes to get bail [in those cases],” he said.

The BNP standing committee member was talking to newsmen on Wednesday after the Supreme Court had upheld the bail of Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, earlier granted by the High Court.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order.

Alleging that the government will continue adopting many 'evil tactics' for creating barrier to the release of the BNP chairperson, Moudud said her lawyers  will try to make Khaleda Zia free on bail quickly.

He hoped that securing Khaleda’s bail from the lower court would not be a tough task since the Appellate Division upheld her bail.

“We'll try to secure [Khalda’s] bail quickly. We have to complete this following a legal process. Khaleda Zia will return among us after getting bail. She will come back soon.”

Responding to a query, Moudud said currently Khaleda Zia is accused in seven cases filed with the lower courts. Among them, three are in Cumilla, two in Dhaka, and one each in Narail and Panchagarh.

She will not be released right now as there are orders to show her arrested in those suits, he added.

On 8 February this year, the Dhaka Special Court-5 convicted the former prime minister and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the graft case.

She was then sent to the old central jail at Nazimuddin Road in the city, where she is the only inmate.

On 15 March, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the state filed two separate leave-to-appeal petitions with the apex court challenging the Khaleda Zia’s bail order by the High Court.

But the Supreme Court dismissed both the appeals on Wednesday.

Mentioning that the paper book of Zia Orphanage Trust Graft case ready, the Appellate Division ordered the HC bench led by justice Enayetur Rahim to complete hearing of Khaleda Zia’s appeal against the verdict within 31 July.