Arafat Rahman Coco, the younger son of former Bangladesh premier Khaleda Zia, freed from jail on July 17, 2008 evening. Home ministry of Bangladesh announced eight-week parole order in a circular issued in the same day.
Government officials said that ailing Coco is not able to appear in the court and he needs better medical treatment; that is why he was released from imprisonment through due legal process.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, one of the important leaders of four-party alliance that is led by Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was released on July 15. Furthermore, the release process of Tarique Rahman, the elder son of Begume Zia, is also on the track.
Besides, cases filed against Khaleda Zia, an imprisoned Prime Minister of Bangladesh, are also in the process of staying by the competent courts. Political observers and analysts are seeing the process as a development of government-politician dialogue and election process.
It should be mentioned here that BNP is yet to join the political dialogue and adamant with their demand of the release of party and alliance leaders from jail, those are in detention for many cases including corruption charges.
In the morning of July 17, 2008, Dhaka additional chief metropolitan magistrate Md. Golam Rabbani exempted Coco from personal appearance in court in a case filed by Anticorruption Commission on charges of concealing wealth information. Earlier on June 25, Coco was exempted from appearing in person during the trial proceedings of the GATCO corruption case. Coco was detained on Sep 03, 2007 after filing of the graft case.
Family sources of Coco confirmed that he will be sent Bangkok, Capital city of Thailand, soon for better medical treatment.
In the mean time, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami was released at the evening of July 15 from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital prison cell on a two-month interim bail given by the High Court division of Bangladesh Supreme Court.
Nizami, a former minister of four-party alliance, was set free after High Court granted him bail in the GATCO graft case in which BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is also an accused. Nizami was arrested on May 18 at his Moghbazar home in connection with the GATCO graft case. He was admitted to BSMMU on June 29 due to his complain of back pain.
Motiur Rahman Nizami has also filed a writ petition on July 17, 2008 with the High Court challenging the legal basis of the GATCO graft case. In the petition, Nizami prayed for quashing proceedings against him in the case. On the other hand, the government filed a petition with the Supreme Court to vacate the High Court order granting bail for Nizami in the case. Both the petitions are yet to be heard by respective Courts.
The High Court also stayed the proceedings of GATCO graft case against detained former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia for two months and the Supreme Court upheld an HC order staying the proceedings of the Niko corruption case filed by the Anti Corruption Commission against the former premier.
However, one of the Government Advisor told to the press that pressmen will hear some thing about Tarique Rahman’s release; "You will know in time" the advisor quoted. On the process of releasing Tarique, his lawyer said to a local press on Thursday (July 17) "We have heard the matter of his release is also under consideration."
Release of Coco and Tarique was also a demand of Khaleda Zia. Analysts said that freeing Coco is a sign of the release of Khaleda Zia and her elder son. Recently a press report mentioned that the release of Khaleda Zia was blocked by the issue of the release process of alliance leader Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami. Government has started the release process by freeing Nizami. Political observers of the country are seeing the process positive and hoping that if the process could be completed efficiently, it must have a positive influence on the continuing dialog and election process.
Here should be mentioned, another former Prime Minister and president of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) Sheikh Hasina was also freed by a legal process and she is in abroad on private trip and having the benefit of an eight-week parole.
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