Law Minister Anisul Huq has said that the government would soon take a decision and announce whether the BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia can be allowed to travel abroad for treatment.
The Minister made the comment while he was responding to questions from reporters at a prize-giving ceremony for the winners of an essay competition titled ‘Liberation War, Independence and Human Values’ at the Lakeshore Hotel in Gulshan in the capital on Tuesday (December 21).
Anisul Huq said that the government is scrutinizing the recommendations by pro-BNP lawyers regarding Khaleda Zia’s release for advanced treatment abroad.
“Fifteen pro-BNP lawyers of the Supreme Court came to meet me about the issue of Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad. There was no legal support anywhere in their statement. No court supports the statement they are making, but the statement I made, I also said in Parliament, is supported by many judgments. However, we will give our opinion on the issue very soon,” he said.
Earlier on November 22, a group of BNP-backed lawyers submitted a memorandum to the law minister seeking the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for an advanced treatment abroad.
Asked whether there is scope for humanitarian consideration in the opinion of the law ministry, he said, “I have to look at it from the legal point of view. Because when the government takes any decision, it must be a legal step.”
Regarding the letter sent from the UK about Khaleda Zia’s treatment, Anisul Huq said, “The news on a letter from the UK was incorrect. When the British High Commissioner met with me about that misinformation, I made it clear.”
He said, “We have clearly explained our law to the high commissioner and explained to them that Khaleda Zia is free. When they talked to me again a few days ago, they said they would correct the matter.”
About the US State Department’s ban on RAB, he said the foreign affairs ministry and the home ministry are looking into the matter.
Khaleda Zia landed in jail in February 2018 in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. On October 30 that year, the High Court extended her punishment to 10 years.
Following the outbreak of Covid-19, the government on March 25 last year granted her temporary release on some conditions.
