President of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Oli Ahmed on Saturday suspected that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia might have been kept at the abandoned central jail in Old Dhaka as part of a joint plan of the government and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad.

‘We’ve heard she (Khaleda) was made to wear prisoner’s uniform and kept in an old jail. What’s the reason behind it?’ he questioned at a press conference, reports the UNB.

Oli, an ex-BNP minister, further said, ‘Ershad, now freed, had been kept at the central jail at Najumuddin Road. I think Awami League and Ershad made the plan jointly (to keep her at the same jail). There was no need to send her to an abandoned jail.’

LDP, one of the partners of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, held the press conference at its Tejgaon office to give the party’s reaction to Khaleda’s conviction and jailing.

Oli questioned why the government has sent Khaleda to the old jail when there are two new central jails in Keraniganj and Kashimpur. ‘The government could have kept her in one of the two jails showing honour to her. It also could have kept her at her residence intensifying security.’

On Thursday, a special court here convicted Khaleda and sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

Half an hour after her conviction, Khaleda Zia was taken to Old Dhaka central jail at Najumuddin Road from Special Court-5 of Bakshibazar.

The LDP president said even the military-backed government kept Khaleda in a residence of Parliament in 2007. ‘The current government must give answer to people’s question someday as to why Khaleda Zia was not kept in such a residence.’

He observed that nobody in the country is eligible for getting division in jail if Khaleda, who is a former Prime Minister, a first lady, and the wife of a former Army Chief, is not given it.

Oli said their party thinks Khaleda was convicted ‘unfairly’ as part of an ‘evil’ plan to keep her away from the next polls and destroy BNP.

He demanded the government immediately release Khaleda from jail.

The LDP chief also expressed solidarity with BNP’s all programmes announced seeking her release.