Bangladesh: Tax Board Unfreezes Ex-PM Khaleda Zia’s Bank Accounts After 17 Years

In the latest development in the politically unstable neighbouring state of Bangladesh, the tax authorities of the country have decided to unfreeze the bank accounts of former prime minister and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia, after 17 long years since they were blocked.

According to PTI, the decision was taken by Bangladesh's National Board of Revenue (NBR) following which the banks were instructed to unfreeze the accounts.

Back in August 2007, the bank accounts of the former prime minister were closed following the direction of NBR's Central Intelligence Cell. The decision was reportedly based on a recommendation of a panel formed during the then Army-backed caretaker government, said a senior official of the NBR.

Despite BNP's demands on unfreezing the accounts on several occasions. they accounts remained frozen. However, Zia reportedly was allowed to withdraw a certain amount of money every month from Rupali Bank’s Shaheed Moinul Road branch of Dhaka Cantonment for running regular expenses.

The 79-year-old former prime minister was recently released from jail following Hasina's escape to India August 5. Zia earlier served as the prime minister of Bangladesh from March 1991 to March 1996, and again from June 2001 to October 2006.

Today's development came within weeks since the country witnessed widespread anti-government protest that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a long-time rival of Khaleda, on August 5. Within nwxt few days, an interim government has been formed which is now being led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

The NBR said they received an application from Khaleda's lawyer on Sunday seeking to unfreeze the accounts.

"As there are no tax-related issues pending investigation relating to her, we have advised banks to unlock all her accounts. We have asked them to take immediate action and provide a compliance report," the official was quoted as saying.