Dhaka: The Bangladesh Government has stayed from former Prime Minister and Chairman of BNP Khaleda Zia in two cases of grafting for six months after appealing by family members, which allowed him to stay out of prison for the duration, said the senior minister on Sunday.
The head of the main 76 years of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which served 17-year prison terms on charges of embezzling foreign donations, while being released from prison in March 2020 in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Suspension of Zia’s prison sentence has been extended six months twice before.
Last extended in March, 2021 and the extension ended on September 15.
“The Khaleda Zia family, especially his younger brother …
made a petition to extend the time, depending on the condition,” Minister of Asaduzzaman Khan’s house was quoted by BDNews24 .com on Sunday.
“We examined the application and then agreed to it.” However, Zia will not be able to leave the country during the renewal period.
“He can receive his treatment at home in whatever way he wants.
But he can’t leave the country.
The conditions previously set for his release will be maintained,” Khan said.
Zia contracted the Covid-19 virus in early April.
According to the doctor, he has faced post-covid complications.
In May, Zia’s younger brother Shamim Eskandar met with the Minister of Home Affairs to seek permission for his maintenance abroad.
This application is forwarded to the Ministry of Law.
The government, however, rejected the petition to go abroad on a medical visit, said “There are no provisions of justice that enables imprisoned inmates to go abroad”.
In July, Law Minister Anisul Haq said in parliament that Zia had to admit his mistake and apologized to the President if he wanted to go abroad for treatment.
However, BNP stated that he had no reason to do it because he was innocent.
Zia serves a 17-year prison term in two cases of grafting since February 8, 2018.
He was sent to prison by the local court on charges of embezzling foreign donors intended for orphanages, named after her husband who was killed and Ziaur Rehman’s president, during the Premiership between 2001 and 2006.
Rehman, a military ruler – a politician that changes, is the founder of BNP.
He was punished in other corruption cases later in the same year, although his party claimed the two cases were politically motivated.
Zia has presented three times as Bangladesh Prime Minister since 1991.
Person suffered a miserable defeat in the 2018 election with only six seats in parliament 300 seats.