Law ministry sends letter to home ministry about Khaleda Zia going abroad

The law ministry on Sunday morning sent its opinion to the home ministry regarding the application submitted by the family of ailing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia to take her abroad for advanced treatment.

Speaking to Prothom Alo in the morning, law minister Anisul Haque, however, did not reveal the ministry’s opinion. The home ministry will talk about it, the minister said.

The 76-year-old BNP chief, who tested positive for Covid-19 in the second test on 24 April, was admitted to Evercare Hospital on 27 April for a thorough health check-up. Though she tested Covid-19 negative on Saturday, the medical board formed for her treatment said that she has been suffering from post-Covid complications.

Quoting physicians her family said Khaleda Zia, who has been released from jail in an executive order last year, needs to be taken abroad for advanced treatment and submitted an application to the government in this regard last week.

The law minister on Saturday said that according to the law, the court has nothing to say about the application. That suggests the government’s decision would be final about this.

Khaleda Zia’s younger brother Shamim Iskander submitted the application to home minister Asaduzzman Khan on Wednesday night. He sent it to the secretary of the law and justice division around 11:00 pm that day. Anisul Haque said he has got the file and send his views to home ministry.

Three-time prime minister Khaleda Zia’s party claims she was sent to the jail in fabricated graft cases.