Begum Zia's younger son Koko temporarily freed on executive order for treatment

DHAKA, Bangladesh, July 18 (BSS) - Bangladesh caretaker government on an executive order today released detained former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's ailing younger son Arafat Rahman Koko for two months, officials said.

"We received the executive order at 5 pm and released him at
6 pm from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital,
where he was being treated," Deputy Inspector General of Prisons
Major Shamsul Haidar Siddiqui told BSS over telephone.

Witnesses and family sources said Koko was driven straight
to her mother's cantonment residence after he was freed from the
hospital.

Under the executive order, Koko would avail this facility
for two months and if he goes abroad for treatment he or his
close relatives would have to apprise the Bangladesh mission in
that particular country about his health in every three days.

"He will not be engaged in political or business activities
(and) will not communicate with any person or organization for
any reason other than issues related to his health during the
period," read the executive order signed by a senior home
ministry official.

According to the order, the government could scrap the
decision without citing any reason if any of the conditions was
violated.

The order came hours after a court trying Koko on charges of
amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income and exempted
him from personal appearance on a petition filed by his lawyers
saying, he could be taken abroad for treatment.

Officials said the government decision followed the
recommendations of a medical board that earlier suggested
treatment abroad for chest and other complications of Koko.

He was arrested along with her mother on September 3 last
year from their cantonment residence as part of the massive anti-
graft campaign being spearheaded since the installation of the
current caretaker government following the January 11, 2007
promulgation of the State of Emergency.