Khaleda out of jail for 6 more months
Govt again extends suspension of her jail sentence
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will be able to go to any hospital to avail treatment as per doctors' advice but she will not be allowed to go abroad.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan disclosed the conditions after the government yesterday extended the suspension of Khaleda's jail sentence for six more months.
According to a home ministry circular, the government suspended the jail sentence as per Section 401(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) following the legal opinion of the law ministry.
Khaleda will receive treatment at her homeand she cannot leave the country during this period. The order will come into effect from March 25, reads the circular.
Regarding the order, the home minister said the prime minister extended the suspension of Khaleda's sentence in response to her brother Shamim Iskander's request for her treatment, which he submitted to the ministry a few days ago.
"We had earlier extended the suspension of the sentence for six months upon application of her brother, so that she can avail treatment at home," the minister, told reporters at the secretariat.
On March 2, Shamim Iskandar applied for relaxation of conditions as well as commutation of Khaleda's sentences.
Responding to a question, the home minister said, "In case of emergency, she [Zia] will return home after being treated at any hospital of the country as per the advice of the doctor. We have no problem about her hospital visits but she will not be able to go abroad."
The two conditions -- staying home and not leaving the country -- will be applied as before but she can avail hospital services like X-rays that is not available at home, the minister explained.
During this period, the address will be her Dhaka residence, he added.
The former prime minister was freed from jail on March 25 last year after the government suspended her jail sentences for six months. The government on September 15 extended the suspension of the jail sentences for six months for the first time.
Khaleda walked out of jail at a time when the world was hit by Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic, she did not even visit any hospital for treatment. However, doctors visited her at home regularly.
The BNP chief landed in jail on February 8, 2017 after being sentenced to five years' imprisonment by a special court in Dhaka in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
On October 30 the following year, the High Court enhanced her punishment to 10 years after dismissing her appeal in the case.
The former premier was convicted by another special court in Dhaka in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case on October 29, 2018. She was sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment by the court.