Khaleda’s Bail Prayer: Turned down, yet again
The High Court yesterday once again rejected a bail petition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.
The bail was sought on health and humanitarian grounds.
The court, however, directed the medical board formed by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) to immediately provide "advance treatment" to Khaleda if she gives consent.
The seven-member medical board can include more expert physicians for the BNP chief's treatment, if necessary, it said.
The HC passed the rejection order as the medical board, in a report, said it was able to provide "advance treatment" to Khaleda at BSMMU.
Citing the report, the HC said Khaleda did not give her consent to get "advance treatment" for her arthritis problem.
A convict is given treatment under the relevant rules and provisions of the Jail Code, the court said, adding that it will be the same for Khaleda too.
Earlier, Khaleda's bail petition was rejected twice by the Supreme Court's HC division and once by the Appellate Division.
Yesterday, the HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hasan and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq passed the order after examining the BSMMU report on the treatment of Khaleda and hearing arguments from the defence and state counsels.
Khaleda's lawyer Zainul Abedin told The Daily Star that the decision of appealing against the order would be taken after discussions with the senior BNP leaders.
Reading out from the report, Justice Obaidul Hasan said Khaleda had been suffering from diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cough variant asthma, back pain, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Her diabetes, hypertension and asthma are now under control and the medical board is providing treatment for the other diseases except for arthritis as she did not give her consent for "advance treatment", the judge said citing the report.
The medical board needs to carry out the tests of Hepatitis B and C Serology, Quantiferon Gold plus, X-Ray Dorsolumbar Spine, Upper Gi Endoscopy, FNAC of the Nodule beneath the skin of her leg and Tumor Marcus and PET-CT for the advance treatment of arthritis, the report said.
But the BNP chief has not agreed to go through these tests, it added.
During the hearing, Zainul submitted some papers downloaded from the internet containing expert opinions on the side effects and health risks of the "advance treatment".
Citing the papers, he told the court that the health risks include heart attack, stomach problem, stroke and cancer.
The lawyer said, "We don't know why Begum Khaleda Zia has not given consent to advance treatment as we are not allowed to meet her.
"If she is granted bail and sent abroad for treatment she will come back to the country after treatment," the lawyer said.
Barrister Moudud Ahmed told the court that every citizen has the right to get treatment and therefore, Khaleda might be granted bail so that she can get the proper treatment abroad.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Anti-Corruption Commission's lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan vehemently opposed the bail petition of Khaleda, saying the bail petition was filed on the same ground which the court had refused earlier.
Meanwhile, Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said Khaleda's refusal to allow BSMMU doctors to provide her treatment was unusual.
He made the comment at a press briefing at his residence in the capital's Gulshan area.
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