Bangladesh Unfreezes Khaleda Zia's Bank Accounts

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) in Bangladesh has ordered the unfreezing of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's bank accounts after 17 years of being blocked. This decision follows recent political changes, including the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, Zia's long-time rival, following a mass uprising on August 5. The NBR's Central Intelligence Cell initially froze Zia's accounts in 2007 during a caretaker government, while Hasina's accounts were unfrozen earlier. A senior NBR official stated that there are no pending tax-related issues concerning Zia, which facilitated the decision to unfreeze her accounts. Zia's lawyer had submitted a request for this action, highlighting the prolonged nature of BNP's demands for account access. The NBR has instructed banks to comply and provide a report on the unfreezing process.