Government blocking Khaleda from meeting relatives in jail, says Rizvi

The BNP has complained of the government barring party Chairperson Khaleda Zia from meeting relatives while she is in prison.

The jail authority has not permitted any of the relatives of Khaleda Zia to meet her in jail in the past three weeks, said BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a media briefing on Monday.

“The prison authority has not paid any heed to the repeated appeals from the chairperson’s personal secretary, relatives and senior leaders of the party. According to the jail code, relatives can meet the inmates every 7 days, but for our leader, they changed it to every 15 days. The jail authority is not even following that rule due to the instructions of the government.”

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been ‘deprived of’ her legal rights as an inmate, complained Rizvi.

“What does this cruelty suggest? They are plotting to sever any connection between Khaleda Zia and the outside world by dumping her inside those four walls.”

“It is severe mental torture to bar someone from meeting their loved ones. It isn’t just her family who are worried, but also the people of the country,” said Rizvi.

“The Dec 30 election is a black mark on the people in the country. But prime minister’s adviser HT Imam said the same preparations will be in place for the next election. Bravo, HT Imam. Only a person like you with no self-respect, no conscience and blind loyalty can make such promise on the next election,” Rizvi said.