Khaleda’s jail sentence suspended for six months
The government has extended the suspension of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's jail sentence by six more months with the same two conditions as before.
With this, her jail sentence has been extended eight times.
A notification, signed by Mohammad Abu Sayed Mollah, deputy secretary (Jail-2 section) of the Security Services Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, was issued on September 12.
According to the conditions, Khaleda would not be able to go abroad, and she has to receive treatment at her residence.
The government released the BNP chief after suspending her jail sentence as per Section 401 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Earlier on September 10, the law ministry sent a file to the home ministry with the opinion of suspending Khaleda's jail sentence and extending the release period for another six months.
On the same day, Law Minister Anisul Huq briefed reporters on the issue at the Secretariat.
Khaleda was freed from jail on March 25, 2020, after the government suspended her jail sentence for six months. She was released during a time when the world was grappling with the Covid pandemic.
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 prime minister 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' imprisonment by the court.
In another development, Khaleda was taken back to a cabin at Evercare Hospital from the coronary care unit (CCU) around 11:30am today, said her personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain.
"Khaleda Zia was shifted to the CCU at 1:30am as per the advice of her medical board," he told The Daily Star.
Zahid added that the medical board, consisting of local and foreign physicians, held an emergency meeting around 11:30pm on Sunday to examine Khaleda's health.
The board decided to move her to the CCU.
The BNP chief has been suffering from multiple health complications, including arthritis, diabetes, kidney issues, liver problems, and heart diseases for a long time, according to the board.
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