The head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Begum Khaleda Zia, has been released from house arrest after being convicted in a corruption case in 2018. Zia, who twice served as prime minister, was an archrival of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who recently resigned and fled the country. The release of Zia, along with the dissolution of parliament, came after calls from a student-led national movement. As part of a deal to allow Zia to resume political life, her two sons relocated to the UK, following corruption allegations against them as well. The announcement of her release coincided with the army chief meeting with student leaders to discuss the formation of an interim government ahead of upcoming elections. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh police association issued an apology for mistreating protesters and demanded the release of jailed officers. Families of political prisoners in Bangladesh, who have been waiting desperately for news of their relatives, saw some of them being released, including opposition activist Ahmad Bin Quasem, son of the former Jamaat-e-Islami leader who was hanged in 2016. Security forces during Hasina’s rule have been accused of detaining thousands of opposition activists, leading to hundreds of extrajudicial killings and disappearances. Human Rights Watch has reported more than 600 enforced disappearances since Hasina came to power, with nearly 100 people still missing. Campaigners have been calling for answers and the release of detained individuals.
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