Bangladesh’s apex court seeks detained BNP leader’s ‘complete’ medical report

The Supreme Court yesterday ordered Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University authorities to form a new board to examine BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's health and submit a “complete” medical report before it on July 12.

The five-member board of BSMMU will have to submit the report by 3:00pm on that day, said a four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.

The apex court also fixed July 13 for passing order on the government petitions against the High Court orders that had granted bail to Fakhrul in three vandalism and arson cases.

The SC had ordered to form the fresh medical board, as Fakhrul's lawyers raised questions over the report submitted by a three-member medical board of the BSMMU on Wednesday. The report said that Fakhrul's heart condition was stable.

Fakhrul's lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain told the SC that the BNP leader had been suffering mainly from neurological problems, but the BSMMU medical board had prepared the report on his heart condition.

He prayed to the SC to order the BSMMU authorities to thoroughly examine Fakhrul's health and submit a complete report.

Khandaker Mahbub told The Daily Star that a professor of Cardiovascular Department at the BSMMU had earlier advised Fakhrul to go abroad for proper treatment.

Sagir Hossain Lion, another counsel for Fakhrul, said his client would not get released until the apex court grants him bail in the cases.

On June 21, the HC gave bail to Fakhrul in the three cases filed with Paltan Police Station on January 4, 5, and 7 under the Explosive Substances Act.

Later, the government filed the three petitions with the SC seeking stay on the HC orders.