Dhaka: Tax officials in Bangladesh have decided to lift the ban imposed 17 years ago on the bank accounts of Bangladesh Nationalist Party President Khaleda Zia. According to the report of ‘Daily Star’ newspaper, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Monday directed the banks to lift the ban on the accounts of BNP President Zia. In August 2007, the Central Intelligence Cell of NBR had directed the banks to freeze the accounts of the BNP President.

Permission was given to withdraw a certain amount

Khaleda Zia has been elected as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh twice since 1990. A senior official of NBR said that this decision was based on the recommendation of a committee formed during the then caretaker government supported by the army. BNP had demanded lifting of the ban on bank accounts on several occasions. Later, she was allowed to withdraw a certain amount every month from Rupali Bank’s Shahid Moinul Road branch in Dhaka Cantonment for regular expenses.

Sheikh Hasina’s bank accounts were also frozen
The then caretaker government had also frozen Sheikh Hasina’s bank accounts, but the freeze was lifted after she became prime minister. The latest move comes after Khaleda’s old rival Hasina was ousted from power on August 5 following a massive revolt.

Zia released from jail
The 15-year-old rule of the Bangladesh Awami League has ended. The interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in on August 8. Zia (79) was released from jail on August 5 after Hasina (76) left the country. Zia was Bangladesh’s prime minister from March 1991 to March 1996 and then from June 2001 to October 2006.