Khaleda will return to her Gulshan home after 25 months in jail

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who left her Gulshan residence ‘Feroza’ about 25 months ago, will be returning there as the government has moved to release her from jail.

Staffers are busy cleaning up ‘Feroza’ following the government decision.

Khaleda had lived in the two-storey house since 2010. It became vacant after she was imprisoned on Feb 8, 2018 after being convicted in a corruption case.

“We’re ready to welcome Madam. All of the rooms have been cleaned, including her bedroom, reading room, small living room on the first floor and the bigger living room on the ground floor,” a security guard told bdnews24.com.

“Flower pots have been put on the entrance to the first floor, just the way she left them.”

Khaleda’s younger brother Shamim Eskander and his wife Kaniz Fatema are supervising the cleaning. They looked after the house in Khaleda’s absence.

“She will stay at Feroza after her release. Everything has been prepared. We’re just waiting for her release,” Khaleda’s sister Selima Islam told bdnews24.com.

Khaleda was initially serving sentence at Old Dhaka jail. She was later transferred to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University to receive medical treatment. She is currently being accompanied by her domestic aide Fatema Begum at the hospital.

In the past two years, Khaleda’s legal team had appealed several times for her bail but it was not granted. It was reported in the media that her family appealed to the home ministry for her temporary release in early March.

Three weeks after the appeal, Law Minister Anisul Huq on Tuesday said the government stayed the effectiveness of the court sentence in an executive order and decided to release Khaleda for six months on condition of receiving treatment at home and not travelling abroad.

“We’ve already prepared the Gulshan house for our chairperson. The house was closed for the past two years,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told bdnews24.com.

“But it is up to Madam to decide whether to stay home or seek treatment at a hospital. We’ll discuss it with her after her release.”

Khaleda, 75 has been suffering from hypertension and diabetes. But her major ailment is osteoarthritis. The authorities proposed to provide her special therapy but she did not agree to receive it.

“Feroza has been prepared with all the necessary facilities in light of Madam’s health issues. Her treatment will begin after she arrives there. We have called upon specialist doctors to check on her. A medical panel will be formed with them and further steps will be taken,” BNP Vice Chairman Prof AZM Zahid Hossain told bdnews24.com.

The gas connection and telephone line to the house are still disconnected, said Prof Zahid Hossain. Gas cylinders have been arranged for cooking and the water line has been fixed, he said. The water tank on the rooftop has been cleaned too.