BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s application to go abroad for treatment is forwarded to home ministry.
The law ministry sources said, they have sent for a legal opinion to the home ministry regarding the application that sought permission from the government to allow BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, convicted in a corruption case, to go abroad for treatment.
The law ministry forwarded its opinion to the home ministry on Monday (December 27).
Law Minister Anisul Huq disclosed it to the media while talking to reporters at his Secretariat office. He, however, declined to disclose what the law ministry said in the opinion.
Anisul Huq said, “We have given our opinion on the application of Khaleda Zia’s family, and sent it to the home ministry. The relevant file will go to the prime minister for approval. Under the rules of businesses, I can’t disclose my opinion until the prime minister sees it.The decision on the plea will be known once the PM clears it.”
Although Anisul Huq did not make it clear, there is an indication that the law ministry is in its previous position in this regard. Responding to a question, he said that there is no scope to reconsider the ‘past and closed transactions’ under the six-sub sections of 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC).
The minister said that the explanation he gave earlier on the legal barrier to reconsider an application that was disposed of earlier under section 401 is lawful. “I think my explanation was right.”
He further said, “I have given my opinion considering all the legal precedences. What I said earlier about the demand for allowing Khaleda Zia to go abroad is right. There is no legal support on the demand placed by pro-BNP lawyers in this regard.”
Earlier on December 21, Anisul Huqhad said that the government would make a decision on taking Khaleda Zia abroad for treatment soon.
The law minister had also said that the government was scrutinising the statements by pro-BNP lawyers regarding Khaleda Zia’s release for advanced treatment abroad.
On November 22, a group of BNP-backed lawyers had submitted a memorandum to the law minister, seeking the release of BNP Chairperson for an advanced treatment abroad.
On November 28, the law minister told Parliament that Khaleda Zia is now free as she is not in government custody. He also said that as the BNP chief was temporarily released under section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedure based on some conditions, including not leaving the country, there is no provision in the law to allow her to go abroad now until she submits a fresh petition after returning to jail.
The BNP chief landed in jail on February 8 in 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, including the condition- she must stay in the country.
Khaleda Zia went to her home in Gulshan after her release from jail. After being infected with the coronavirus, she was hospitalized for about two months in the middle of this year. Then she had to go to the hospital two more times.
Khaleda Zia, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has been suffering from various complications including arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye problems. The last time she was admitted to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on November 13 and she has been receiving treatment at the hospital since then.
Her medical board members said that the BNP chief immediately needs to go abroad for better treatment as she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.
On behalf of her family, Khaleda Zia’s younger brother Shamim Iskander submitted an application to the Home Ministry on November 11, urging the government to allow her to go abroad for better treatment. In the application, it was claimed that there was no such treatment in Bangladesh.
