Khaleda’s participation in polls depends on court: EC

Election Commission Acting Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed today said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s participation in the next election will depend on the decision of court.

Ahmed was talking to journalists at EC secretariat in Dhaka this afternoon after a meeting of the EC with a European Parliamentary delegation.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda in the chair meeting with the delegation, one of the four teams of MEPs who have arrived in Dhaka on Saturday and Sunday.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is currently in prison, after she was handed a five-year imprisonment for misappropriating a Tk 2.10 crore donation fund of Zia Orphanage Trust on February 8.

The verdict against the BNP chief leads a severe blow to the party ahead of the upcoming national elections.

Earlier on February 11, Law Minister Anisul Huq said the Supreme Court and the Election Commission will decide whether BNP chief Khaleda Zia can contest the next general elections.

However, the law minister on February 8 said that the SC in one judgement said if anybody is convicted and sentenced to two or more years' in jail by the lower court for moral turpitude, he or she can contest the election until the appeal is not settled by the apex court.

In another judgement, the apex court said a convict cannot contest the election, the minister also mentioned.