Sawdesh desk:

Law Minister Anisul Huq has said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s release period will be extended by an executive order if her (Khaleda Zia) family files petition to this end.

The law minister said this in response to questions of journalists after a workshop for judges at the Judicial Administration Training Institute in the capital on Saturday (Sept 10).

Lastly, on March 23, BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s sentence was suspended and the release period was extended by 6 months under the previous two conditions. After that, a notification was issued by the Security Services Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs extending the release period.

The release period of Khaleda Zia, who was imprisoned five times in total, has been extended. During the extended time, Khaleda Zia will receive her treatment from her residence in Dhaka and it is stipulated that she will not be able to go abroad during this time.

Khaleda Zia was imprisoned in two cases. Her sentence has been suspended by the executive order. She (Khaleda Zia) was sentenced to five years imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018 by Dhaka’s Special Court No. 5 established at Bakshibazar Alia Madrasa Ground.

After the verdict, Khaleda Zia was kept in the Old Central Jail at Nazimuddin Road in Old Dhaka. Later, on October 30 of that year, the High Court increased her sentence by another five years to 10 years on appeal in this case.

On October 29 of the same year, the same court sentenced Khaleda Zia to 7 years of rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. In addition to 7 years imprisonment, Khaleda Zia was fined Tk 10 lakh.

In default of payment of fine, the court ordered another 6 months imprisonment. When the Covid-19 pandemic started in March 2020, the government released Khaleda Zia, who was imprisoned, for 6 months, subject to conditions, by suspending the sentence in an  executive order in view of the family’s request. Since then the release period is being extended by 6 months.