Bangladesh's ex-premier and opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia, serving a 10-year jail term, received a temporary relief on Tuesday after a high court granted her six-month bail in two defamation cases.&nbsp;

However, the 73-year-old three-time former prime minister cannot be released from jail as she has been convicted in two other cases.&nbsp;

A High Court bench of Justice Mohammad Abdul Habib and Justice Ahmed Sohel on Tuesday granted bail to Zia in two separate defamation cases after hearing bail pleas filed by her lawyers.

In 2014 and 2016, two cases were filed against Zia on the charges of hurting religious sentiment of Muslims and for making derogatory comments on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

AB Siddique, president of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, a front organisation of ruling Awami League, filed the cases.

He filed one case on October 21, 2014 claiming that Zia at a programme in Dhaka in the same year said "the ruling party's (Awami League) professed secularism was nothing but a sham,"&nbsp;adding that her remarks hurt religious sentiments of Muslims, the Daily Star reported.

In another defamation case filed with a Dhaka court, he claimed that Zia at a programme in Engineers Institution said Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did not want the independence of Bangladesh, rather he wanted to be the prime minister of Pakistan, the daily said.

The trial court issued arrest warrants against Zia on March 20, after which the BNP chairperson filed two petitions with the High Court, on May 22, seeking bail in those cases.

Zia was sentenced to five years in jail in February last year by a local court after being convicted in a corruption case in connection with the embezzlement of 21 million taka (about $250,000) in foreign donations meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust, named after her late husband Ziaur Rahman, a military ruler-turned-politician.&nbsp;

The High Court later doubled the jail term for imprisoned opposition leader from five to 10 years following a prosecution appeal.

Bangladesh's ex-premier and opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia, serving a 10-year jail term, received a temporary relief on Tuesday after a high court granted her six-month bail in two defamation cases.

Bangladesh's ex-premier and opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia, serving a 10-year jail term, received a temporary relief on Tuesday after a high court granted her six-month bail in two defamation cases. However, the 73-year-old three-time former prime minister cannot be released from jail as she has been convicted in two other cases. A High Court bench of Justice Mohammad Abdul Habib and Justice Ahmed Sohel on Tuesday granted bail to Zia in two separate defamation cases after hearing bail pleas filed by her lawyers. In 2014 and 2016, two cases were filed against Zia on the charges of hurting religious sentiment of Muslims and for making derogatory comments on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. AB Siddique, president of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, a front organisation of ruling Awami League, filed the cases. He filed one case on October 21, 2014 claiming that Zia at a programme in Dhaka in the same year said "the ruling party's (Awami League) professed secularism was nothing but a sham," adding that her remarks hurt religious sentiments of Muslims, the Daily Star reported. In another defamation case filed with a Dhaka court, he claimed that Zia at a programme in Engineers Institution said Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did not want the independence of Bangladesh, rather he wanted to be the prime minister of Pakistan, the daily said. The trial court issued arrest warrants against Zia on March 20, after which the BNP chairperson filed two petitions with the High Court, on May 22, seeking bail in those cases. Zia was sentenced to five years in jail in February last year by a local court after being convicted in a corruption case in connection with the embezzlement of 21 million taka (about $250,000) in foreign donations meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust, named after her late husband Ziaur Rahman, a military ruler-turned-politician. The High Court later doubled the jail term for imprisoned opposition leader from five to 10 years following a prosecution appeal.

Bangladesh: Former PM Khaleda Zia gets 6-month bail in two defamation cases

Bangladesh&#39;s Supreme Court today stayed a high court order granting bail to former prime minister Khaleda Zia in a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ex-bangladesh-pm-khaleda-zia-sentenced-to-5-years-in-graft-case-32203" target="_blank">corruption case</a>, a media report said.

Zia, 72, was sentenced to five years in jail on February 8 in connection with the embezzlement of 21 million taka (about USD 250,000) in foreign donations meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust, named after her late husband Ziaur Rahman, a military ruler-turned-politician.

On March 12, the High Court here granted the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) a four-month interim bail.

Opinion: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/opinion-a-jailed-khaleda-zia-is-more-popular-than-a-free-one-32961" target="_blank">A jailed Khaleda Zia is more popular than a free one</a>

However, today a full bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order to stay until May 8 the high court order which granted bail to Zia in the graft case.

Following today&#39;s Supreme Court order, Zia cannot get released from jail till May 8, Anti-Corruption Commission&#39;s lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan was quoted as saying by the report.

Earlier on March 15, the ACC and the state filed two leave-to-appeal petitions before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, challenging the BNP chief&#39;s bail. PTI

Zia, 72, was sentenced to five years in jail on February 8 in connection with the embezzlement of 21 million taka (about USD 250,000) in foreign donations meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust

Bangladesh's Supreme Court today stayed a high court order granting bail to former prime minister Khaleda Zia in a corruption case, a media report said. Zia, 72, was sentenced to five years in jail on February 8 in connection with the embezzlement of 21 million taka (about USD 250,000) in foreign donations meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust, named after her late husband Ziaur Rahman, a military ruler-turned-politician. On March 12, the High Court here granted the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) a four-month interim bail. Opinion: A jailed Khaleda Zia is more popular than a free one However, today a full bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order to stay until May 8 the high court order which granted bail to Zia in the graft case. Following today's Supreme Court order, Zia cannot get released from jail till May 8, Anti-Corruption Commission's lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan was quoted as saying by the report. Earlier on March 15, the ACC and the state filed two leave-to-appeal petitions before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, challenging the BNP chief's bail. PTI

Bangladesh Supreme Court stays HC order on Zia's bail

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Bangladesh: Former PM Khaleda Zia gets 6-month bail in two defamation cases

Bangladesh Supreme Court stays HC order on Zia's bail