Khaleda relatives too denied visiting her

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s relatives were not allowed to visit the former prime minister in jail.

He said Khaleda Zia is “very sick”.

Talking to the news agency, Mirza Fakhrul voiced deep concern over Khaleda Zia's 'falling' health condition.

The BNP secretary general said some of Khaleda's relatives, including her sister Selima Islam, went to meet her at old Dhaka central jail after taking permission of the jail authorities.

However, he said, the jail authorities informed them that meeting is not possible as she could not come down to the ground floor due to her illness.

"We apprehend her (Khaleda) physical condition sharply deteriorated," Fakhrul added.

He said though they are worried over their chairpersons' physical health condition, the jail authorities did not allow them to meet her on Thursday.

On Thursday, Fakhrul together with BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas and Nazrul Islam Khan went to the jail gate around 3:35pm.

They, however, returned 15 minutes later as the authorities did not allow them to meet Khaleda.

Amid the report of Khaleda's illness, Fakhrul last met her on 6 April and the BNP chief was taken to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University the following day for some medical tests.

Fakhrul could not meet Khaleda Zia on 29 March due to her illness.

On 8 February, Khaleda Zia was sent to jail after a special court sentenced her to five years' rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.