Khaleda must return to jail for permission to go abroad: Law Minister

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia must return to jail for submitting a fresh application seeking permission to go abroad for treatment.

Talking to UNB, Anisul Huq said his ministry has already given an opinion for extending further by six months the suspension of Khaleda's jail sentences following an application submitted by her family to the government, reports UNB.

"There's no scope to reconsider the application seeking permission to send Khaleda Zia abroad under section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). She has to go back to jail and then submit a fresh application if she wants to go abroad for treatment," he said.

He, however, said it does not mean that the application will be approved once Khaleda submits it to the government. "It depends on the government's wish."

Meanwhile, the family of Khaleda Zia recently submitted an application to the Home Ministry seeking further extension of her conditional release and allowing her to go abroad for receiving advanced treatment.

The Home Ministry sent the application to the Law Ministry a few days back seeking its legal opinion.

The Law Ministry gave its opinion on September 7 and sent it back to the Home Ministry which is supposed to be sent to the Prime Minister's Office for approval.