Dhaka, Oct 11 (bdnews24.com) — The High Court has extended parole of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's younger son Arafat Rahman Coco by 20 days.
The court has also opined that Coco could request the government to allow him to stay out of jail, by presenting his medical documents.
The bench of justices Abdul Wahab Miah and Gazi Reza-ul-Huq gave the order on Monday.
M K Rahman, additional attorney general, told bdnews24.com after the court order, "Coco will remain free for another 20 days. The court said that the government can consider Coco's request if he makes a petition by that time."
Coco's counsel barrister Mahbubuddin Khokan told bdnews24.com, "We will have to petition to extend his parole for a longer period."
The same bench on Oct 6 fixed the date to decide the fate of Coco's parole on Oct 11.
Huq told reporters after the hearing on Oct 6 that a right could not be withdrawn after it was given. "Coco's parole has been extended 20 times, but he was ordered to return home without showing a cause."
Coco has been in Bangkok on parole since July 19, 2008 after his release on bail. At that time, he had secured eight-week parole for treatment abroad. Coco was arrested on Sep 3, 2007 in the GATCO corruption case.
The latest extension of his parole expired on Aug 14. The home ministry decided on Aug 19 not to extend it any further and asked him to come back home by Aug 31, an order which the BNP and its different wings protested against.
Coco's lawyers filed a writ petition against the home ministry decision on Aug 26, when the High Court ordered extension of his parole by 40 days. The court also issued a rule upon the government asking why the home ministry decision would not be declared illegal.
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