Khaleda’s jail term suspension period extended by another six months

The suspension period of the jail term of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been extended by another six months.

The Security Service Department of the Home Ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard.
Joint Secretary of the department (Prison Wing) Md Ziaul Haque confirmed the matter.

With this, the government has so far extended Khaleda Zia’s jail term suspension for the eight time.

According to the gazette notification, Khaleda Zia will receive treatment staying at her own residence in Dhaka and not be able to travel abroad during her temporary release period.

Khaleda’s conditional release from jail suspending her sentences in two corruption cases was earlier extended by six months on March 23 which will end on September 24.

Khaleda, also a former prime minister, has long been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye complications.

Khaleda Zia was convicted in two graft cases and taken to jail in 2018. In April 2020, in the light of the Covid pandemic, the government granted a request from her family for a conditional temporary release from jail for “humanitarian reasons.”

She has since stayed at her Gulshan home under the care of her personal doctors and has had limited interaction with others.

Her family petitioned the government several times for permission to take her abroad for medical treatment. The government repeatedly denied the request, claiming it is impossible under the current law that allows her to stay out of prison.