Bangladesh Nationalist Party activists shout slogans as they march along a street following the verdict in the corruption case of Bangladesh's main opposition leader and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia in Dhaka on February 9, 2018. Pic/ AFP

The Vice President of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has taken over as the party's chairman after his mother and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was sentenced to five years in prison, an official said.

The decision to elevate Tarique Rahman -- the exiled son of opposition leader Zia -- to the chairmanship was taken after she was jailed on Thursday on charges of misappropriation of funds from an orphanage trust.