Family appeals for permanent release of Khaleda

Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s family has submitted an appeal to the government for her permanent release from jail as the suspension of her conviction will expire on September 24.

Khaleda’s youngest brother Shamim Iskander submitted the appeal to the home ministry on behalf of the family of the former prime minister recently.

‘We have got the appeal from the youngest brother of BNP chairperson Khaleda for her release and sent it to the law ministry for opinion as it is a matter of court,’ home minister Asaduzzaman Khan told New Age on Saturday.

Khaleda Zia was released from jail on conditions for six months on an executive order on March 25 during the coronavirus pandemic. Since then she has been staying at her Gulshan house.

Mahbub Uddin Khokon, one of Khaleda’s lawyers, called on her at her house Saturday evening.

‘I visited her to know about her health. Her health has deteriorated further,’ Mahbub told New Age.

Khaleda was jailed on February 8, 2018 for five years in jail in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case and was released from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University’s prison cell on March 25 reportedly on two conditions — she would take medical treatment from home and would not leave the country.

She was also sentenced for seven years in jail in Zia Charitable Trust graft case on October 29, 2018.

On October 30, 2018, the High Court doubled her five-year jail term in the Zia Orphanage Trust case.

She was granted interim bails in all but the two cases related to Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net