Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin ordered the immediate release of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who has been imprisoned since 2018.
The announcement came on Monday, just hours after Sheikh Hasina resigned from her position as Prime Minister and fled the country, marking the end of her 15-year rule.
According to a press statement released following a meeting with opposition party leaders, President Shahabuddin made the decision "unanimously" to free Khaleda Zia, the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
The statement emphasised the urgency of the decision, given Zia's deteriorating health; the 78-year-old has been confined to a hospital during her imprisonment.
Khaleda Zia was sentenced to 17 years in prison on corruption charges, a conviction that has been widely criticised by her supporters as politically motivated. As the leader of the BNP, Zia has long been a prominent figure in Bangladeshi politics, often seen as a fierce rival to Sheikh Hasina.
Their ongoing conflict, dubbed the "Battle of Begums," has significantly shaped the political landscape of Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina first assumed the premiership in 1996, and since then, the two leaders have alternated in power, with their rivalry deeply polarising the nation. The Awami League, led by Hasina, has positioned itself as a moderate, secular party, frequently accusing the BNP of harbouring extremist elements.
High-ranking military officials, including Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, and leaders from various opposition parties, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami attended the meeting that led to Zia's release.
The statement from the meeting also indicated a decision to release all individuals arrested during recent student protests, signalling a potential shift in the political climate of Bangladesh.
On the other hand, after Hasina's resignation, the army chief of Bangladesh Waker-Uz-Zaman, took interim charge of the nation. Zaman had issued an ultimatum to Hasina, demanding that she and her sister leave the country.