Court defers hearing on Khaleda’s plea for treatment to Oct 1

The High Court has deferred a hearing on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s writ petition for treatment in United Hospital to Oct 1.

The High Court bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Ahmed Sohel adjourned the hearing on Tuesday following a partial hearing.

AJ Mohammad Ali and Mahbub Uddin Khokon moved for Khaleda while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state.

At one stage of the hearing, the court asked Khaleda's lawyer: "Do you want a rule?"

In reply, lawyer Mohammad Ali said, "After the hearing, we want an order from the court.”

“If the attorney general did not oppose the treatment of the BNP chairperson, then the court could order now."

The court then said, “You are seeking medical treatment in a specialised hospital in a way that there is scope for the government to oppose it. I will hear more from both sides. For this reason, I am fixing Oct 1 for the next hearing.”

On Sep 9, Khaleda filed the writ petition with the HC arguing that she is seriously ill as she has been suffering from various diseases.

Khaleda has been kept at the old prison house on Nazimuddin Road since she was sentenced in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on Feb 8.

She fell ill near the start of April and a medical board of Dhaka Medical College Hospital doctors was formed for her medical tests. The BNP demanded that party be transferred to Gulshan’s United Hospital without delay after her health ‘deteriorated even further’.