Govt has nothing to do under existing law: Anisul Huq

Law minister Anisul Huq has said the government has nothing to do regarding Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad under the existing law.

He made this remark in response to a query from a newsperson at the secretariat today, Monday.

The law minister held a meeting with United Nations special rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion, Irene Khan, before speaking to the newspersons.

BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was sent to prison 8 February 2018 after being convicted in two corruption cases of Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust. The former prime minister was imprisoned for more than two years. 

The BNP has been pressing for a long time demanding Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad. The party gave the government an ultimatum of 48 hours from a rally on Sunday to release Khaleda Zia and ensuring her treatment abroad without any delay.

Speaking regarding this, law minister Anisul Huq told the newspersons that, “Khaleda Zia has been released on conditions by an executive order cancelling her prison term for six months as per the section 401 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. It has been done at the generosity of prime minister Shiekh Hasina."

"In this situation, if we try to make any amendment to the law, then her conditional release has to be cancelled and she has to go to the previous condition. Afterwards, new thing can be considered," the law minister added.

In response to another query, the law minister said, “This sort of application cannot be directly submitted to the law ministry. As per the law, the application should address the home ministry first. And then the plea would be sent to the law ministry by the home ministry for legal advice."

Asked about BNP’s ultimatum to ensure Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad, the law minister said he had nothing to say about it.