BNP urges govt to transfer Khaleda Zia to United Hospital

BNP leaders have met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to demand that party chief Khaleda Zia be taken to United Hospital from prison for treatment.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 April 2018, 06:07 AM
Updated : 22 April 2018, 07:21 AM

BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan and Vice Chairman Hafiz Uddin Ahmed met the home minister at his Secretariat offices around 12:30pm.

The two urged the minister to transfer Khaleda from prison to Dhaka’s United Hospital for treatment. The home minister gave them assurances, BNP leader Khan said.

Khan had announced their intention to demand answers from the home minister during a demonstration by BNP-allied doctors in front of the National Press Club at 11:15am.

The BNP and members of Khaleda’s family have grown concerned regarding the former prime minister’s health after she was not allowed to come down from the second-storey prison cell on Old Dhaka’s Nazimuddin Road and meet visitors for the past 11 days.

The decision for a party delegation to visit the home minister was taken on Saturday night.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had demanded Khaleda’s release and ‘proper medical treatment’ at a press conference on Saturday.

A medical board had been formed to oversee Khaleda’s health after she fell ill near the start of April. The board said that medical tests indicated the illness was not serious. Khaleda was taken to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital for an X-ray and blood tests on Apr 7.

The BNP says it does not trust the medical board formed by the government.

The BNP delegation had previously gone to the home minister on Mar 27 after Dhaka Metropolitan Police refused them permission to hold a mass rally at Suhrawardy Udyan twice.