Application submitted again to take Khaleda abroad

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia

This report highlights the recent appeal made by Shamim Eskander, the brother of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, to the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking Khaleda Zia's permanent release and medical treatment abroad. The report provides background information on previous appeals and the current status of Khaleda Zia's imprisonment.

Khaleda Zia, the Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was sentenced to five years' imprisonment on February 8, 2018, in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. Subsequently, the High Court increased her sentence to 10 years. Since then, Khaleda Zia has been serving her sentence in prison.

Shamim Eskander, Khaleda Zia's brother, has once again appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs for Khaleda Zia's permanent release and medical treatment abroad. This appeal was reportedly made on Sunday, March 17. It is noted that Shamim Eskander has previously made similar appeals to the Ministry of Home Affairs, including one in September last year. However, these appeals did not yield positive results for the BNP leader.

Khaleda Zia was temporarily released from prison by the government's executive order during the COVID-19 crisis. Since then, she has been residing at her house in Gulshan, known as Feroza House. Khaleda Zia has been suffering from various physical complications for a prolonged period, prompting her family to seek medical treatment abroad.

The appeal made by Shamim Eskander for Khaleda Zia's permanent release and medical treatment abroad underscores the ongoing concerns regarding her health and well-being. The BNP leader's family continues to advocate for her release and access to medical care outside of the country. However, the outcome of this latest appeal remains uncertain, given the previous unsuccessful attempts to secure Khaleda Zia's release.