Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia to be freed, President orders

Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin has ordered the immediate release of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who has been jailed since 2018. The decision was announced following a meeting with opposition party members on August 5.

The development comes amid political turmoil in Bangladesh, with recent events including the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her subsequent departure from the country. Hasina's resignation marks the end of her 15-year rule.

Zia, 78, is the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and has been serving a 17-year sentence for corruption. She has been confined to a hospital due to health issues.

The rivalry between Zia and Hasina has long dominated Bangladesh's political landscape. Both women have alternated as prime ministers since the mid-1990s, with their feud rooted in the country's complex political history.

Recent weeks have seen growing unrest in Bangladesh, with student protests against government job quotas and increasing dissent against Hasina's leadership. The situation escalated on Monday when protesters stormed Hasina's residence in Dhaka and the Parliament building.

Following her resignation, Hasina reportedly fled to India, landing at the Hindon airbase near Delhi. She is currently said to be in a safe house at the airbase.

The political crisis in Bangladesh has prompted responses from neighbouring India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a cabinet meeting to discuss the situation, and the Border Security Force has issued an alert along the India-Bangladesh border.