Khaleda being unfit for national election

Staff Correspondent: A special court in Dhaka sentenced BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to five years imprisonment in a graft case.

As per the constitution, a person cannot contest the national election if he or she is sentenced to two years or more imprisonment.

Law Minister Anisul Huq made his reactions over the verdict against Khaleda Zia at his Secretariat office on Thursday, hours after the verdict announced.

When asked whether Khaleda can participate in the upcoming general election, Law Minister Anisul Huq said according to a Supreme Court judgment, a person cannot contest the election if he or she is convicted in a case until the issues are settled at the Appellate Division.

However, the apex court will decide whether she can contest the next national election slated for December this year, he added.

Anisul said Khaleda Zia can seek bail from the High Court after getting the certified copy of the lower court judgment.

She has to file the appeal with the High Court division against the lower court in the next 60 days, the minister added.

Earlier, the special court-5 at Bakshibazar in Dhaka handed down five years’ imprisonment to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 10 years’ jail to five others accused in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

The other accused includes Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman.

The court also fined the convicts Tk 2.10 crore each.


risingbd/Dhaka/February 8, 2018/Naymuddin/A K Azad