Govt's reasoning to not allow Khaleda's treatment aboard unacceptable, lame: Fakhrul

BNP has termed the government's reasoning -- on legal grounds -- for not accepting the application from Khaleda Zia's family to allow her to go abroad for medical treatment "unacceptable".

"They (government) said they can't allow Khaleda Zia to go abroad (for treatment). They have given some reasons which are absolutely unacceptable and lame. They said there is no precedence of sending convicts abroad. They are trying to mislead people," said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

The BNP secretary general made the remarks at a press conference at the chairperson's political office in Gulshan this afternoon in response to remarks made by several ministers regarding the application to send Khaleda abroad for treatment.

He said, "It is inhumane to not allow Khaleda Zia to go abroad for better treatment. People are being misled. We strongly condemn it,"

Giving examples, Fakhrul said, "ASM Abdur Rob was in jail. In 1979, then president Ziaur Rahman released him under the law. He was sent to Germany for treatment. Former health minister Mohammad Nasim was convicted in 2008. The government sent him abroad for treatment."

The BNP leader further said, "I won't name them but two brothers of a very high-ranking influential government official were sentenced to death. They were sent abroad, after pardoning them under Section 401. Why all these lame excuses in Khaleda Zia's case?"

He said, "You don't have that generosity. You don't have a big heart, as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had. He (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) showed this generosity to many of his political opponents, released them and helped them."

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