BNP Chairperson and ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will be released soon without any pre-condition, Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader said Sunday, report UNB and bdnews24.com.
The Adviser however could not say whether she would be released this week. "It's difficult for me to say," he said.
Echoing Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur's remarks, Quader said the process of Khaleda Zia's release is now at the last stage.
Asked about her eldest son Tarique Rahman's release, he said, "This is also being considered on humanitarian grounds."
Khaleda Zia was arrested on September 3 last year in connection with GATCO graft case, and later several other corruption cases were filed against her. Tarique, who is suffering from spinal chord problem, was arrested before her mother on several corruption charges.
Meanwhile, Khaleda will consider registering as voter only after examining the new electoral laws, as today (August 11) is the last date for being voter, jail authorities said.
"Some detainees in Dhaka and Kashimpur prisons have already become voter in last few days. The former prime minister will consider the matter after seeing the new laws," Deputy Inspector General (prisons) Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui told reporters at the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat Sunday.
As the time is ticking past toward the deadline, the DIG shuttled between the special prison housing the immediate-past PM and the EC office, trying to save the situation.
He said Khaleda Zia was requested several times to register herself as a voter, but she did not become voter citing several reasons.
The DIG (prisons) said three days ago Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda had phoned her informing that she would not be able to contest the upcoming parliamentary election without being a voter.
"Then Khaleda Zia wanted to see what is in the new electoral laws," he said about the stance of the ex-PM and BNP chairperson.
Major Haider informed that there are 30 VIP detainees, including Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman and BNP leader M Ali Falu, who have not yet become voters although the countrywide voter-listing scheme has completed listing over 80 million voters.
However, he mentioned that nine bigwig detainees, including Salauddin Qader Chowdhury, have become voters. "Two in Dhaka Central Jail and seven in Kashimpur prison became voters," he said.
Asked about release of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman, Major Haider said the jail authority does not deal with the release matter, and that he could only know the news through the media. Describing the health condition of Khaleda as well, he said now her leg pain has lessened.
In the afternoon, Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain told reporters that the commission would not extend the timeframe for anyone to be voter, as the deadline was determined as August 11.
"August 11 is the last time. Then there is no chance for becoming voter, and there is nothing special in the laws," Sohul said about the EC view on this matter of obstinate VIPs.
EC sources said DIG Haider received the necessary papers, including the new electoral laws, from NI Khan, joint secretary of the EC Secretariat. Then he went back and stayed in the sub-jail in the parliament complex, where the ex-PM is detained, until late into the evening.
