Khaleda fighting for life: BNP
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is fighting for life at Evercare Hospital in the capital, said the party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He made the statement while attending a press conference at the party chairperson's Gulshan office yesterday.
"Khaleda Zia is fighting for her life. She is the most popular leader in Bangladesh. It is inhumane that she is not allowed to go abroad for treatment," he said.
Physicians here are providing her with the best possible treatment available, but with no results. The medical board formed to treat Khaleda also suggested that she be taken abroad for better treatment, he said.
"We are demanding [the government] take initiatives to send her abroad for better treatment and save her life," he added.
About the latest physical condition of Khaleda, the BNP secretary general said, "Blood has been given and endoscopy conducted on her today."
Quoting doctors, he said the physicians gave Khaleda all the treatments that were available here. "Now she needs to be taken abroad."
According to doctors, Khaleda's health complications can still be solved, but if she does not get proper treatment, she can "get into any situation" at any time, he said.
Khaleda has been suffering from chronic kidney conditions, decompensated liver diseases, unstable haemoglobin, uncontrolled blood sugar, arthritis and other age-related complications.
Family members of Khaleda applied to the government to allow her to go abroad for better treatment but the government rejected the plea.
Law Minister Anisul Haque told the parliament that the government would proceed according to the law regarding the request to send BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia abroad for treatment.
Asked about a statement from the law minister, Fakhrul said, "What the law minister said on this issue is not right. According to Section 401 of the CrPC, the government can suspend or pardon the conviction with or without condition.
"In the case of Khaleda Zia, the government spontaneously suspended the conviction, but did not pardon her."
Khaleda was sent to jail on February 8, 2018, in a corruption case. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, she was given a temporary release on certain conditions on March 25 last year. The term of her release has been extended four times so far.
Along with other health complications, she contracted coronavirus in April this year. She recovered while under treatment at home, but as other health complications cropped up, she was admitted to Evercare Hospital on April 27.
On October 12, she was admitted to the hospital as her temperature had started fluctuating. At that time, a lump was found on her body and she was in the hospital for around three weeks.
The BNP chief was admitted to the hospital again and moved to the CCU, nearly a week after she was discharged from the same healthcare facility.
Considering the situation, the BNP will sit for a mass hunger strike demanding the release of the party chief Khaleda Zia and permission for taking her abroad.
Fakhrul said the party earlier announced to form a human chain in front of the National Press Club protesting the price hike of oil, gas and public transportation, but that was later suspended.
Instead of the human chain, it would now sit in for a hunger strike from Saturday.
He said the mass hunger strike programme will be observed from 9:00am to 4:00pm in Dhaka and all the district headquarters.
Regarding the venue, Fakhrul said, "If we do not get any venue, we will observe our programmes at our party headquarters."