Khaleda’s jail sentence suspension extended by 6 months
Staff Reporter :
The government is going to extend the suspension of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s jail sentence by six more months with two conditions.
“Suspension of Khaleda Zia’s jail sentence will end on September 24. Her jail sentence suspension extended from September 25 for another six months with prior two conditions as Khaleda’s family has applied to the home ministry for extending the suspension of her jail sentence.
The law ministry has given opinion on the application for extending the suspension of her jail sentence by six months on previous conditions,” Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq told reporters at the secretariat on Sunday.
The application sought to take Khaleda Zia abroad for treatment.
Anisul Huq, however, admitted the matter and said there is no legal opportunity to take her abroad for treatment.
“We would have considered if there was a legal opportunity.
The file has already sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs after my signature and the file won’t go to the Prime Minister,” the Law Minister said.
When asked regarding sending the application, the Law Minister replied, “I sent back the relevant file two days ago along with my opinion to the home ministry, which will now issue a notification to this effect.”
According to the conditions, Khaleda would not be able to go abroad and she has to take treatment at her residence.
The government released the BNP chief after suspending her jail sentence as per Section 401 (1) of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC).
Khaleda was freed from jail on March 25, 2020 after the government suspended her jail sentence for six months.
She walked out of jail at a time when the world was hit by Covid-19 pandemic.
Khaleda 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’ rigorous imprisonment by the court.
Meanwhile, the BNP leaders and other like-minded political parties have been continuously demanding of the government to allow Khaleda Zia to go abroad for proper treatment as her health condition is deteriorating.
