Dhaka, August 6: Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin has ordered the immediate release of jailed former prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia, following the ousting of her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina, reported the NDTV. The decision came after the military took power, marking a significant shift in the country’s political landscape.
The president’s press team issued a statement on Monday, announcing that a meeting led by Shahabuddin had “decided unanimously to free Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia immediately.” The meeting included key figures such as Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, heads of the navy and airforce, and leaders from opposition parties including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Additionally, the meeting resolved to release all individuals arrested during recent student protests. Earlier, General Waker-Uz-Zaman addressed the nation on state television, confirming that Sheikh Hasina had resigned and that the military would form a caretaker government.
Hasina had been struggling to quell nationwide protests against her government since early July, culminating in severe unrest on Sunday, which resulted in nearly 100 deaths. She fled the country amid the chaos.
Khaleda Zia, aged 78, has been in poor health and confined to a hospital after being sentenced to 17 years in prison for corruption in 2018. Her release marks a significant development in Bangladesh’s turbulent political scene.
The military’s move to form an interim government and the release of opposition leaders could pave the way for a new political era in Bangladesh, with significant implications for the region’s stability.
