BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia freed for six months

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia on Wednesday released from jail after over two years of imprisonment on corruption charges for six months.

Jail authorities with the release letter reached Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) just after 2:00pm.

Former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s relatives received her from the prison cell at (BSMMU) around 4:15pm where she was undergoing treatment.

Khaleda’s brother Shamim Eskander, sister Selima Hosain and son Tarique Rahman’s sister-in-law Shahina Khan Jaman Bindu were present there.

BNP secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was also present to receive the party chief at the hospital.

Hundreds of party leaders and activists thronged to BSMMU premises ahead of her release.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan at a press conference on Wednesday morning said BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will be released within a very short time.

Earlier on Tuesday, the government announced the decision to release the Three-time prime minister from jail suspending her imprisonment for six months.

Law minister Anisul Huq revealed this to the media at his residence. A recommendation in this regard was sent from the law ministry to the home ministry, he added.

He also said Khaleda Zia has to fulfill a number of conditions even after being released.

"Under the directives of the prime minister (Sheikh Hasina) and under section 401 of the Criminal Procedure Act, we have decided to release Khaleda Zia suspending her imprisonment for six months,” Anisul Huq said.

The minister further said Khaleda will have to comply with the rule that she takes her medical treatment from her home in Dhaka.

Considering the present situation, the minister added, sending her aboard for treatment will be ‘suicidal’.

Meanwhile, Firoza’, the home of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia at Road No. 79 in Dhaka’s Gulshan area which turned into an abandoned house since she went to jail, has been prepared for her as she was going to be released on an executive order, reports news agency UNB.

As the government announced that the 75-year-old BNP chief will be released from jail for six months suspending her sentences upon two conditions, the house was cleaned to welcome Khaleda after more than 25 months, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.

The two conditions are -- receiving treatment staying at her Gulshan residence and not leaving the country.

Fakhrul said Khaleda’s personal physicians will provide her treatment at her residence. “We’ve made all the arrangements so that her (Khaleda’s) personal physicians can ensure her treatment at her residence.”

He also said it depends on Khaleda’s decision that whether she will receive treatment at her residence or at any hospital.

Until she went to jail in 2018, Khaleda Zia had been living in the two-storey rented house built over a bigha land, since April 2011 as she had to 'leave her long-time home in Dhaka cantonment on 13 November 2010 following a High Court verdict.

A member of her security force said, “We’re all set to welcome Madam (Khaleda) here. Most members of her security force have already reached Firoza. The entire house has been made neat and clean, including her bedroom.”

He said Khaleda’s family members monitored the cleaning activities.

He also said Khaleda’s domestic help, Fatema, will be staying with the BNP chief as has been with her in jail voluntarily.

Khaleda Zia’s family recently submitted an application to the government seeking an executive order to have the BNP chief released for her treatment in London.

Shamim Eskandar, Selima Islam, and her (Selima’s) husband Rafiqul Islam met prime minister Sheikh Hasina and made an appeal for her release through an executive order.

Khaleda has been in jail since she was convicted in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on 8 February 2018.

She was found guilty in another corruption case later the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated.