Dhaka:The Dhaka High Court Tuesday granted former prime minister Khaleda Zia three-month bail in two corruption cases, virtually clearing all legal barriers to her freedom from prison, local media reported.

"This (the bail) removes the last barrier to her release from detention," her lawyer Rafiqul Islam Miah told the bdnews24.com news agency.

Earlier, the court had granted the leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) bail in two other cases out of four corruption cases.

Khaleda, suffering from arthritis and knee problems, is likely to be released Tuesday or Wednesday, the report said.

Khaleda and her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko were arrested Sep 3, 2007 amid a purge against crime and corruption by the current caretaker government, which took office in January last year following a political crisis over the abortive ninth parliamentary election.

Koko was released July 17 on health grounds. He is now undergoing treatment for his respiratory complications in Bangkok.

On Sep 3, Khaleda's elder son Tarique Rahman, who was arrested March 7 last year on corruption charges and 13 graft cases, was also released on bail.

Tarique is suffering from spinal cord complications and may go abroad for medical treatment soon, reports said.

Khaleda, who ruled the country twice from 1991 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2006, had refused to get released before the release of her two sons.

The BNP, one of two major parties in the country, had earlier demanded that the party would join political dialogue with the government and take part in the ninth parliamentary election scheduled in December only after Khaleda is freed.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina, another former prime minister and president of the Awami League, was given parole June 11 on health grounds. She is now getting treatment in the US for problems with her eyes and ears.
Source : IANS