Khaleda should stay in jail long days as did Ershad?

Staff Correspondent: The High Court (HC) asked the Attorney General that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia should also stay in jail for long days as did former president H M Ershad?

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim came up with the response as Attorney General Mahbubey Alam mentioned it during arguments of Khaleda's bail hearing on Sunday.

The court also said, "It will not be any example."

At the very beginning of hearing, Khaleda's counsel A J Mohammad Ali said, "Petitioner Khaleda Zia has been sentenced for five years that is considered as light punishment.  According to court traditions, bail is granted if the convict is woman and she has been sentenced to small term of imprisonment.

He also read out Khaleda's physical complexities stated in the bail petition.

Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan, lawyer of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), said in his arguments, "There is an Appellate Division verdict that the appeal will have to be disposed in a short time against such light punishment and bail will not be granted.  The petitioner sought bail on physical ground, but no medical certificate was submitted in this regard."

The court replied, "They submitted it as affidavit. If you do not disagree with it, then it will be granted as okay."

risingbd/Dhaka/February 25, 2018/Mehade/A K Azad