Khaleda greets countrymen ahead of Ramadan: BNP

Khaleda Zia
Khaleda Zia

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday greeted the country's people on the occasion of Ramadan and sought their blessings for her, her lawyers said.

The BNP chief asked her lawyers to convey her greetings to people as they met her at Old Dhaka Central Jail in the afternoon.

Four lawyers--Khandker Mahbub Hossain, AJ Mohammad Ali, Sanaullah Miah and Masud Ahmed Talukder -- went to the jail around 4pm and had an hour-long discussion with Khaleda over legal issues.

Coming out of the jail, Mahbub Hossain said they had elaborate discussions with the BNP chief over the cases she was shown arrested.

"As the Ramadan begins tomorrow (Friday) Madam (Khaleda) greeted people on the occasion, and urged all to pray for her," he said.

The lawyer said Khaleda is seriously ill and she is suffering from severe pains due to arthritis. "She's not given proper treatment."

Masud Ahmed said the BNP chief was shown arrested in six cases though the Supreme Court upheld the High Court's bail granted to Khaleda in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case in which she was convicted and sent to jail.

On Wednesday, the Appellate Division upheld the High Court's bail in the case.

On 8 February, the Dhaka Special Court-5 convicted Khaleda and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.