Khaleda's treatment abroad: Law ministry says 'no' to her application

The law ministry has rejected BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's application seeking permission to go abroad for receiving better treatment.

About Khaleda Zia's application seeking permission for receiving treatment abroad, the law ministry says 'no'.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Sunday, law minister Anisul Huq said the government has no scope to legally permit Khaleda Zia to go abroad for treatment.

This opinion has been given from the law ministry, he added.

Speaking to newsmen at his office, the law minister also said Khaleda Zia's younger brother Iskandar Mirza filed the application to the home ministry seeking permission to send BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia abroad for better treatment giving permanent release. Giving opinion of the law ministry, the application has been sent to the home ministry.

The law minister said the decision, which has been given under sub section 1 of 401 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), is the past and closed. So there is no scope to take a new decision as per the application.

The decision taken on the basis of Section 401 (1) of the Criminal Procedural Code is now the past and has been closed. That means, there is no scope to take any new decision in light of this decision.

Former prime minister Khaleda Zia has been undergoing treatment for 52 days at the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina said, “If Khaleda Zia is to go abroad for treatment, the permission she has been given to stay home by suspending her sentence would have to be revoked. She would have to go back to the jail and appear before the court. She would have to take permission from the court.”

The prime minister recently said this in an interview with US media outlet Voice of America. Voice of America’s Bangla service chief Shatarupa Barua interviewed prime minister Sheikh Hasina during her Washington visit. A video recording of the interview has been uploaded on Voice of America’s Bangla service website.  

Earlier, an application was submitted to the home ministry seeking a permission to send BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia abroad for better treatment giving permanent release.

Khaleda Zia's younger brother Iskandar Mirza filed the application.

A senior official at the home ministry said the application of Khaleda Zia's brother was sent to the law ministry seeking opinion.

She was admitted to Evercare Hospital on 9 August for a health checkup. She has been undergoing treatment since then.

Physicians said complications concerning her liver, kidneys and other vital organs are deteriorating.

Earlier, the home ministry issued a notification on 12 September postponing her conviction and extending her release by six months more.

According to the notification, in accordance with the application seeking release of Khaleda Zia and opinion of the law ministry, the conviction of Khaleda was postponed for the next six months from 25 September on conditions under the power of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Postponement of Khaleda Zia's conviction has been extended on two conditions. Those are: She will undergo  treatment at her home in Dhaka, and she cannot go abroad.

Khaleda Zia was imprisoned on 8 February 2018 after being convicted in two cases. The former prime minister was in jail for over two years.

Khaleda Zia, convicted in the Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust corruption cases, was released on 25 March 2020 by the government postponing her conviction on conditions through an executive order.

Since then the government has been extending her release by postponing her conviction every six months.