Treatment Abroad: Khaleda must confess to the president for her release

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia must confess her wrongdoings and offer apologies to the President to go abroad for receiving treatment, said Law Minister Anisul Haq in the Parliament yesterday.

If someone can find other legal provisions in this regard he would quit his profession, the law minister said.

BNP lawmakers Harunur Rashid and Mosharof Hosen earlier alleged that the government was not allowing former premier Khaleda Zia to go abroad for political reasons.

Responding to the allegations, the law minister said Khaleda's family members had applied for her release and said she had to be taken abroad.

"But in their application, they did not mention any provisions of the law. We considered that appeal under 401 [of penal code] and her sentences were suspended on two conditions and she was released," the minister said.

In addition, he said, the two conditions were that she would receive treatment from home and she would receive treatment within the country.

Khaleda's family accepted the conditions and took her home from jail, he added.

Pointing to BNP leaders' repeated appeals to send Khaleda abroad, the law minister asked, "Once an application is disposed of, can it be reconsidered?"

Throwing out a challenge, the minister said there are six sub-sections in the law.

"If you [BNP MPs] can show under those sub-sections that you will be able to apply again [to take Khaleda abroad], then I will not be in the legal profession anymore," he said.

Referring to Khaleda's treatment, he said she was treated at Evercare Hospital and got proper treatment.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government on March 25 last year freed Khaleda from jail for six months suspending her jail sentences in two graft cases which were extended several times.

On February 8, 2018, the BNP chief was sent to the Old Dhaka Central Jail after a lower court had sentenced her to five years imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

The High Court later doubled her jail sentence.

Khaleda was found guilty in another corruption case the same year. Her party, however, claims both the cases are politically motivated.