Khaleda’s jail term suspension extended by 6 months

The government has extended BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s prison sentence suspension by another six months with the same two conditions as before.

Home Ministry issued a gazette in this regard on Wednesday. With this, her jail sentence has been extended ninth times.

According to the gazette notification, the decision was taken on the two previous conditions that she won't go abroad and take treatment in the country.

The government released the BNP chief after suspending her jail sentence as per Section 401 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

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.