BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today termed the government's decision to release Khaleda a relief, but said there were still some concerns.

"We were eagerly waiting for her release. It is a relief that she will get peace for at least six months. But we are concerned -- if she cannot go abroad, how will she get proper treatment?" he told journalists at Khaleda's Gulshan office.   

Replying to a query over whether the decision to release her was being taken positively, Fakhrul said the party will examine the conditional release and then give a statement.   

Contacted, a family member of Khaleda said someone from the family had approached the prime minister personally. "We are thankful to the Almighty and then the administration that they realised, even if it is late," said a family member wishing not to be named.   

Meanwhile, international watchdog Amnesty International South Asia said, "We welcome the Bangladeshi authorities' decision to conditionally release opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia from jail on humanitarian grounds. As she is suffering from a life-threatening illness, she must be given unrestricted access to the healthcare she needs."    

Earlier today, the government decided to release Khaleda for six months on humanitarian grounds and considering her age.

The BNP chief, now 74 years old, landed in jail on February 8, 2018, after a special court sentenced her to five years in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. Her sentence was increased to 10 years later the same year.

Two Gonoforum lawmakers-elect yesterday wrote to the Speaker expressing their willingness to take oath on March 7.

Sultan Mohammad Monsur and Mokabbir Khan, presidium members of Gonoforum, took part in the December 30 national election as Gonoforum candidates, with the BNP's electoral symbol “sheaf of paddy”.

Asked about the matter, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told The Daily Star that he did not know anything about the letter.

Senior Gonoforum leaders said they would take all kinds of actions against the two leaders if they took oath disobeying the party's decision.

Just around a month before the national election, the BNP, the Gonoforum and some other political parties had formed Jatiya Oikyafront.

Oikyafront leaders, including Dr Kamal Hossain, boycotted the polls results and called for a new election.

The BNP won only six seats against 289 by the ruling Awami League-led Grand Alliance.

All the six MPs-elect of BNP decided not to join the Jatiya Sangsad.

Talking to this newspaper, Sultan Monsur yesterday said Dr Kamal knew about their oath.

Mostafa Mohsin Montu, general secretary of Gonoforum, said the two leaders would violate the party's decision if they took oath.

“Our party has decided not to send the two MPs to parliament. We will take all necessary actions if they take oath.”

Montu also said the duo was misleading people by giving false statements.

If they took oath violating the party's decision, the Gonoforum would write to the Speaker to cancel their memberships for floor-crossing, he said.

Former Awami League leader Sultan Mansur, also an ex vice-president of Ducsu, was elected MP from Moulvibazar-2 and Mokabbir from Sylhet-2.

Soon after the December 30 election, the duo said Kamal was positive about their joining parliament.

On January 31, Kamal told journalists that the Gonoforum has informed the two about its decision that they should not take oath. 

The Supreme Court today upheld High Court orders that stayed the trial proceedings against BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in two cases filed in 2012 and 2013 over vandalism and arson.

The Appellate Division of the SC, however, asked the HC to hold hearings and dispose of the rules issued in connection with the cases.

A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain came up with the orders after virtually hearing two separate leave to appeal petitions filed by the state, challenging the HC orders.

Following the two petitions filed by Mirza Fakhrul, the HC on November 7, 2017 stayed the trial proceedings against him in two cases lodged with Sher-E-Bangla Nagar and Ramna Police Stations in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

The HC also issued two rules asking the state to explain why the proceedings of the cases against Mirza Fakhrul should not be scrapped.

Today, Sagir Hossain Leon, a lawyer for Mirza Fakhrul, told The Daily Star that his client is accused in a total of 86 vandalism, arson and defamation cases, which were filed with political motivations.

Mirza Fakhrul is now on bail in all the cases filed against him, he added.