Khaleda spends a ‘different’ Eid in jail with relatives, near ones

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has spent a ‘different’ Eid day in jail accompanied by her relatives and near ones today.

An entourage of 20 relatives and near ones met Khaleda at Old Central Jail this noon, our staff correspondent reports.

The BNP chairperson also had lunch with food items prepared and brought by her relatives on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Khaleda, who is used to have lunch at the jail around 1:30pm, had her lunch past 2:00pm today as she waited to meet her relatives.

Her relatives and near ones entered the jail around 2:15pm as the jail authorities fixed the time of their entry inside the jail at 2:00pm. They came out around 4:40pm.

Relatives and near ones of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia are seen at the Old Central Jail gate in Dhaka on Saturday June 16, 2016. An entourage of 20 relatives and near ones met Khaleda on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. Photo: Collected

The entourage included Khaleda’s deceased brother Sayeed Iskander’s wife, sons, her younger brother Shamim Iskander, his wife and sons among others.

Khaleda’s personal secretary Abdus Sattar and two other employees at her Gulshan residence also met her at the jail today.

Khaleda came from inside the jail being supported by two persons from both sides as she had difficulties moving on her own, relatives said.

She was greeted with a bouquet of purple and white orchids by the visitors. She exchanged Eid greetings with them and rendered her blessings to the young ones.

She also urged them to have patience and have faith on Almighty Allah as they became emotional after meeting her.

Khaleda landed in jail following a special court’s verdict on February 8 that sentenced her to five years' rigorous imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.