Govt extends BNP chief Khaleda's stay out of jail for 6 more months

However, the former prime minister will not be able to travel abroad for treatment

The government has extended the term of a stay order on the prison sentence of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, allowing her to remain out of jail for another six months.

However, the former prime minister will not be able to travel abroad and will have to seek medical treatment in Bangladesh, the home ministry said in a notice on Wednesday.

This is the eighth time the government has extended the suspension on Khaleda’s prison sentence.

The stay order will be deemed to be effective from Mar 25, according to the home ministry.

Earlier, Law Minister Anisul Huq told reporters at the Secretariat that Khaleda's release period had been extended by another six months.

On Mar 6, Khaleda's brother Shamim Eskander applied to the home ministry for permission to take the ailing BNP chief abroad for treatment. However, the government has maintained that she must to return to prison before she can petition to travel abroad in accordance with the law.

Khaleda, jailed for 17 years in connection with two graft cases, was released from prison through an executive order on Mar 25, 2020, that allowed her to stay at home, but barred her from travelling abroad.

The 78-year-old has been suffering from many health issues, including liver complications, kidney problems, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis, for a long time.