DHAKA, Sept 11: Former prime minister and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Khaleda Zia, has demanded lifting of emergency and holding of general elections as early as possible.

In her first political statement after her release from jail on Thursday morning, she said her party was ready to hold dialogue with the government on issues of national interest.

Khaleda Zia, detained by the military-controlled caretaker government of Fakhruddin Ahmed in September last year on corruption charges, was set free from prison on Thursday.

She was driven straight to the grave of her husband Ziaur Rahman at noon. Senior BNP leaders were at the grave to greet their chief.

Thousands of activists and supporters of her party thronged the Sangsad Bhaban premises when she left the special jail flanked by daughter-in-law Zubaida Rahman and granddaughter Zaima Rahman. They shouted slogans as her heavily-guarded cream-coloured Pajero reached the grave complex.

Meanwhile, the government has announced that it would take initiative to get bitter political rivals Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia to sit across the table in an effort to pull the country out of the political crisis.

“The government will take initiatives to get the two top leaders to sit together to help the nation overcome the current political crisis and restore sound political atmosphere,” commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said.

“We hope they will not only respond to this move but also take initiatives on their own since the two leaders have contributed a lot to the country,” he added.