The National Board of Revenue (NBR) in Bangladesh has officially instructed banks to unfreeze the accounts of Khaleda Zia, the Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). This decision marks a significant shift, coming 17 years after the accounts were initially frozen in August 2007.
The move follows a formal application from Zia's legal team, who had requested the NBR to lift the freeze on her accounts. The NBR confirmed that there are no outstanding tax-related issues concerning Zia, which justifies the decision to unfreeze the accounts. A senior official from the NBR stated, “We have reviewed the situation and found no pending investigations or tax issues related to Khaleda Zia. Accordingly, we have instructed banks to take immediate action to unlock all her accounts and submit a compliance report.”
The accounts were originally frozen during the tenure of an Army-backed caretaker government that was in power from 2007 to 2008. This action was part of a broader campaign against political figures, orchestrated by a panel formed during that period. The freezing of Zia's accounts was one of many measures taken by the government to exert political pressure.
The timing of the NBR's decision is notable, coinciding with recent significant political upheavals in Bangladesh. On August 5, a mass uprising led to the departure of Sheikh Hasina, a long-time rival of Zia and the leader of the Bangladesh Awami League. This political shift culminated in the appointment of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the head of an interim government on August 8. Zia, who had been imprisoned under Hasina's administration, was released on the same day as the new interim government was sworn in.
Khaleda Zia, aged 79, served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on two separate occasions: first from March 1991 to March 1996, and again from June 2001 to October 2006. Her release and the subsequent unfreezing of her accounts are seen as pivotal developments in Bangladesh's evolving political landscape. This move reflects the shifting power dynamics and the broader political realignment that has taken place in the country following recent events.
The unfreezing of Zia’s accounts not only symbolizes a significant moment for her personally but also for the BNP, which has been advocating for her rights and the removal of the restrictions imposed on her assets. The lifting of these financial constraints is expected to have implications for the party's activities and political strategies moving forward.
