Dhaka , Sept 11 : Khaleda Zia, the former Bangladesh Prime Minister and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was today released on bail after a year''s detention in prison.

Zia was released as a part of an apparent deal between her and the military-backed interim government.

The BNP chairperson walked free from a makeshift jail in Parliament premises at about 11.45 A. M.

All the necessary papers for her release had reached the jail authorities last night.

On Tuesday, all legal impediments to Zia’s release were removed with the High Court granting her three months'' ad-interim bail in last two graft cases.

Zia and her son were arrested from her residence in Dhaka Cantonment on graft charges on September 3 last year. The government had implicated her in four cases of corruption and a local court sent her to a sub-jail the same day.

Tarique Rahman, Zia’s eldest son has also been released on bail in all 13 cases filed against him on charges of corruption and is expected to leave the country soon for treatment abroad.

Earlier, Zia’s younger son Koko left for Singapore on July 19 for treatment. He had been released on July 17 through a government executive order. (ANI)