Free Khaleda on parole for treatment

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's lawyer Khandker Mahbub Hossain yesterday urged the government to release her from jail on parole on humanitarian ground for her better treatment.

“Since Khaleda Zia has been detained in prison for more than four months, her diseases have turned severe and an apprehension has been created over her life. It is not possible to release her quickly from jail through legal process, as both the Appellate and High Court Divisions and the lower courts are now closed due to Eid-ul-Fitr holidays,” he said.

Advocate Khandker Mahbub, also a vice-chairman of BNP, said this and made the appeal at a press conference at his Malibagh residence in Dhaka.

The senior lawyer said Khaleda wants to take treatment at specialised United Hospital in Dhaka and her desire should be considered being above politics.

Advocate Mahbub said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had been released from jail on parole and got opportunity for treatment during the military-backed interim regime.

Hasina had even taken treatment abroad after her release on parole, he said, adding that Khaleda should be given such an opportunity.

Earlier on May 16, the Supreme Court upheld an HC order that granted four month's bail to Khaleda in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case in which she was jailed by a trial court for five years.

But, Khaleda, who landed in jail on February 8, could not walk out of prison as she was shown arrested in seven other cases filed in Comilla, Dhaka and Narail.

On May 28, the HC granted her bail for six months in two of the cases.

One of the cases was filed in connection with vandalising vehicles in Comilla's Chouddagram area on January 25, 2015. The other was filed over killing seven people and injuring 25-26 others by setting fire on a bus in Chouddagram on February 2, 2015.

Following two stay petitions filed by the government, the chamber judge of the SC on May 29 stayed the HC orders of bail and sent the stay petitions to its full bench for hearing on May 31.

After hearing the stay petitions, a three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on May 31 extended the chamber judge's order and asked the government to file two separate leave to appeal petitions with this court by June 24 against the HC bail orders.

The apex court also fixed June 24 for holding hearing on the leave to appeal petitions.