Government refusal to let Khaleda fly abroad ‘frustrates, angers’ BNP

The BNP has said the government decision not to allow party Chairperson Khaleda Zia travel abroad for medical treatment has left it “frustrated” and “angry”.

Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir gave the reaction on Sunday night after talking to the doctors at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka where Khaleda is undergoing treatment.

Fakhrul said it appeared to him that the party chief’s health was improving.  

The 76-year-old former prime minister was admitted to the hospital on Apr 27 after she tested positive for the coronavirus on Apr 11. She has underlying health conditions.

On May 3, she was transferred to the Coronary Care Unit after she had complained of breathing distress.

Later, her family appealed to the government to let her get treatment abroad following the advice of doctors.

Finally on Sunday, she tested negative for COVID-19. The doctors kept her at the CCU saying she was still suffering from post-COVID complications.

But government ministers later announced that the government could not find a legal provision to allow her to travel abroad as she is currently out on a suspended sentence.

Khaleda had been living in her Gulshan residence since the government granted her the suspended sentence in March 2020.     

She had served 25 months out of 17 years of prison sentences in two corruption cases, involving the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust.

“We're obviously very much frustrated and angry at this government decision,” said Fakhrul. 

“It's very much true that she was sentenced after being framed in a false case. The main goal of the case was to keep her away from politics. It started with 1/11, in continuation of which the current government took the decision today.”

The installation of the military-run caretaker government and actions taken by that administration are referred to as 1/11 in Bangladesh.     

Law Minister Anisul Huq said that there was no legal scope to review the conditions imposed with the suspended sentence under Section 401 of the Penal Code. 

The two conditions were: Khaleda will not be able to travel abroad and she must receive treatment at home.

Fakhrul claimed there were “enough scopes” in Section 401 of the Penal Code to let Khaleda take treatment abroad, or scrap the sentence altogether.

“They (government) can pardon a murder convict and send him abroad, but their human compassion does not work in case of a popular leader who played a key role in the fights for freedom and democracy.”  

The BNP leader sees no logic behind the government decision.

“Their decision driven only by political vengeance.”

Asked what the party will do now, Fakhrul said the matter depends on Khaleda’s family who appealed to allow her to go abroad.

‘SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT’

Fakhrul said there were “signs” that Khaleda’s health was improving.

“I saw her from a distance. She appeared to be better,” he said.

Her health parameters also improved and she was breathing normally without medical oxygen support.

“But she still has tubes to remove water from her lung and stomach. Doctors said she has post-COVID complications at the highest level,” Fakhrul said.