Lawyer Khandaker Mahbub sees no way but parole for Khaleda’s release

Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, one of the lawyers for Khaleda Zia, has demanded the BNP chief be freed on parole for treatment.

Speaking to journalists at his home in Dhaka on Wednesday, the BNP vice-chairman said he saw no way other than parole for Khaleda’s release.

He says the former prime minister has fallen ‘seriously’ ill in jail and her ‘life is in danger’.

Khandaker Mahbub was hopeful that the government will arrange treatment for Khaleda as sought by the party and her family.

After her personal doctors said they believe Khaleda suffered ‘a mild stroke’ on June 5, the government admitted that she fell to the ground.

It has offered to take her to the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University first.

But she refused the offer and the BNP on behalf of her family requested the prison officials to take her to privately-run United Hospital. It said the family will bear the cost of her treatment there.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal then offered to take her to the Combined Military Hospital.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, however, told a programme on Wednesday that the government must honour her faith in the private hospital.

Later in the afternoon, Khandaker Mahbub, a senior lawyer at the Supreme Court, called the journalists home and spoke about the issue.

He said 73-year-old Khaleda had been stricken by diseases and her health deteriorated after she was jailed four months ago.

Khaleda has been in jail since Feb 8 when a special court sentenced her to five years prison for corruption in Zia Orphanage Trust when she was the prime minister.

She secured bail in the case from the Supreme Court, but has been ordered arrested in some other cases related to violence during protests and defamation.

“It will take time to free her through the legal process in this situation,” Khandaker Mahbub said.

He recalled that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was granted parole for treatment at the Square Hospital first and then abroad during the military-controlled caretaker government’s regime.

“(But her government) is now refusing to take Khaleda Zia to a private hospital,” the BNP leader pointed out.

He said freeing Khaleda on parole would be better for the government as it will not have to bear responsibilities for her treatment.

He also demanded a ‘better’ place for Khaleda than the old jailhouse on Nazimuddin Road, citing that both Hasina and Khaleda were kept at special jails during the 2007-8 caretaker government.

“Even healthy people will get sick there in the abandoned jail. So I urge the government to save her life by freeing her on parole,” Khandaker Mahbub said.

Asked whether the BNP was applying for Khaleda’s parole formally, he said, “It depends on the government…We’ll surely do it if they tell us.”