Khaleda Zia's treatment abroad: Law ministry sends opinion to home ministry

The law ministry has sent its opinion to the home ministry on the files regarding BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's treatment abroad.

"We have sent the opinion to the home ministry through an official some time back. However, I cannot disclose what opinion has been given," Law Ministry Secretary Md Golam Sarwar told The Daily Star at 10:40am today.

Contacted, Law Minister Anisul Huq told The Daily Star that he will not disclose what he said in the opinion on the files regarding Khaleda Zia's treatment abroad.

The government released Khaleda Zia on March 25 last year after suspending her jail sentence as per section 401 (1) of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC).

Section 401(1) of the CrPC says, "When any person has been sentenced to punishment for an offence, the Government may at any time without conditions or upon any conditions which the person sentenced accepts, suspend the execution of his/her sentence or remit the whole or any part of the punishment to which he/she has been sentenced".

Later on, the suspension of her jail sentence was extended twice and the government issued separate notifications to this effect.

The notification said Khaleda will receive treatment at her home and she cannot go abroad during this period.

The BNP chief landed in jail on February 8, 2018, after a special court sentenced her to five years in prison in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. On October 30, 2018, the High Court raised her punishment to 10 years.