(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) New Delhi: Hours after sheikh Hasina resigned from the Prime Minister's post and left her country, Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Monday ordered the release of jailed former prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia.
Zia, who is now 78, has been in jail since 2018 in a corruption case. She was sentenced to 17 years in prison and since then she has been in hospital.
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Soon after the military took over the country's reins, the Bangladesh President held a meeting and unanimously decided to free the BNP leader immediately.
In the meeting, they also decided to release all detainees who were arrested in cases pertaining to students' agitation.
“There was also a strong consensus to ensure that communal harmony is not disrupted in any way,” a statement from Bangladesh President House read.
The meeting was attended by the Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, and his counterparts from the navy and air force. In the meeting, opposition leaders were also present.
Earlier in the day, the Army chief assured his countrymen that the force would assist in forming an interim government soon.
A video emerged on the social media platforms, wherein it can be seen Hasina alighting a vehicle parked next to a military chopper Mi-17.
She was taken to a Bangladesh air force base to board C130J Hercules transport aircraft to fly in India.
For her safe passage, permission was sought from the Indian government, which was granted immediately. She flew to India's Hindon air base along with her sister, Sheikh Rehana.
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India gave a special permission to Bangladesh air force to fly its aircraft in Indian airspace, sources said.
As per the sources, negotiations for asylum in the United Kingdom is underway.
Upon her arrival at Hindon air base, she was received by the Western Air Commander and later National Security Adviser Ajit Doval went to meet her.
Within a few hours of their meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his top ministers and bureaucrats held a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting at his residence to assess the evolving situation in turmoil-hit Bangladesh.
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