The Law Ministry has sent its recommendations to the Home Ministry regarding BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s application on extending her stay out of jail.
The related file was sent to the Home Ministry from the Law Minister’s office at around 3pm on Tuesday. “Now the rest depends on the decision of the Prime Minister,” Law Minister Anisul Huq said.
However, he did not elaborate on the recommendations.
Last week the family members of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia appealed to the government, seeking an extension of her stay out of jail, for treatment of her post-Covid and other complications at home.
The Home Ministry later sent the application to the Law Ministry seeking its legal opinion.
Also Read - Family to seek another extension of Khaleda's stay out of jail
Asked about it, the law minister on Tuesday said: “The proposal came to me. I’ve sent it back to the Home Ministry with my opinion. It will now go to the Prime Minister’s Office for a final opinion. Only then will the matter be finalized as to whether or not Khaleda Zia will go abroad for treatment.”
He also said that it would not be right to disclose anything before that.
On May 5, the former prime minister’s family applied to the government seeking permission to take her abroad for better treatment.
But the Law Ministry rejected the plea on the ground that no provision permitted a convict to go abroad for treatment.
To avail such a facility, the former premier would have to seek presidential clemency through admitting her crimes, a proposition rejected by the BNP.
Also Read - Law Minister: Khaleda must return to jail to seek permission to go abroad for treatment
On August 28, Law Minister Anisul Huq said: “Subject to the government’s permission under Section 401 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), Khaleda Zia has the opportunity to go abroad but she will have to go to jail again and apply anew.”
Khaleda Zia has been on temporary release, subject to certain conditions, since March 25 last year. Her health condition deteriorated after she was infected with Covid-19.
The 76-year-old BNP chief tested positive for Covid-19 twice in the space of a month – on April 10 and April 24. She returned home on June 19, after hospitalization for nearly two months for coronavirus infection and other complications.
