On Monday, Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin ordered the immediate release of jailed former Prime Minister and prominent opposition leader Khaleda Zia, shortly after her political adversary Sheikh Hasina was removed from power and the military assumed control. According to a statement from the president's press team, a meeting chaired by Shahabuddin "unanimously decided to release Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia immediately."
The meeting, which included Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, the heads of the navy and air force, and senior leaders from several opposition parties including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami party, also resolved to release all individuals detained during recent student protests. Earlier in the day, General Waker announced on state television that Hasina had resigned and that the military would establish a caretaker government.
The statement further noted that the meeting decided to form an interim government immediately. Hasina had attempted to suppress nationwide protests against her administration since early July, but fled the country following violent clashes on Sunday that resulted in nearly 100 fatalities. Zia, aged 78, is in fragile health and is hospitalized after being sentenced to 17 years in prison for corruption in 2018.
