Khaleda’s Sentence: Govt yet to decide on extending suspension
Says law minister
The government is yet to make any decision about the application seeking extension of its order that released BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail, Law Minister Anisul Huq told The Daily Star yesterday.
"I have heard that an application seeking extension of Khaleda Zia's release has been sent to the law ministry by the home ministry. The application has not yet reached me. I will make decision on the application when I get it," he said.
The minister did not give further details on this issue.
Khaleda, who has been convicted in two corruption cases, was freed from prison on March 25 after she had been spending there for 776 days.
The government through an executive order released her for six months on conditions that she will stay home in the capital and not leave the country. It suspended her sentence as per section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedure on "humanitarian grounds".
Recently, family members of the BNP chief sought a six months' extension on the government order.
Her younger brother Shamim Iskandar applied to the home ministry seeking the extension, said the former prime minister's family members.
Seeking anonymity, a lawyer, who prepared the documents, said the letter that helped secure Khaleda's release earlier was submitted again this time from her family members.
On Friday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said they received an application of Khaleda and it was forwarded to the law ministry. In the letter, it was mentioned that Khaleda could not take proper treatment because she had to stay home amid the pandemic.
The 75-year-old former prime minister has been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and ophthalmological and dental ailments, said Khaleda's physicians.