BNP demands Khaleda Zia’s proper treatment
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is staging a demonstration on the road in front of National Press Club demanding Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad and her unconditional release.
The programme was scheduled to start at 10.00am. However, it started before the pre-scheduled time. Dhaka north and south city BNP organised the programme.
According to eyewitnesses, leaders and activists of the BNP started coming in front of the National Press Club with processions since 9.00am. By 10.00am, the road in front of the National Press Club was completely occupied by the activists and leaders of BNP. As a result, vehicle movement on one side of the road was disrupted. The regular commuters of the road are taking alternative roads.
At around 10.45, the BNP leaders were seen addressing the demonstration from the makeshift stage. Leaders and activists of different units of BNP in Dhaka were still coming to the place of demonstration.
The leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal and other associate bodies of the party are also taking part in the demonstration organised by Dhaka north and south city BNP.
A large number of police have been deployed around the demonstration.
Meanwhile, all the gates of the National Press Club have been kept closed and no one except the newspersons are being allowed to enter the press club premises.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir will address the demonstration as the chief guest. The senior leaders of the party are addressing the demonstration now. They are demanding party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s proper treatment abroad.
Earlier on Friday, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia suddenly fell ill. She was taken to the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on that very night. She underwent stenting after an angiogram there.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “Khaleda Zia had a mild heart attack. The physicians spotted a 99 per cent block in the main artery of the heart while performing the angiogram. Later, the physicians successfully inserted a stent there.”
“After the stenting, she is out of danger for the time being. But I request the government to allow her to go abroad for better treatment,” he added.
Meanwhile, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Saturday said, “BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will have to follow legal procedures to go abroad for treatment and will have to appeal to the court.”
Khaleda Zia has been admitted to private hospital Evercare five times since being diagnosed with coronavirus. Earlier on 6 April, she was taken to the same hospital for regular health check-ups.
Khaleda Zia was sent to jail on 8 February, 2018 after being convicted in a corruption case. She was temporarily released on 25 March, 2020 after the outbreak of coronavirus in the country. She has been living at her residence in Gulshan since then.
After being admitted to Evercare Hospital in 2021, the physician said that Khaleda Zia was suffering from bleeding from the digestive tract and liver cirrhosis. Besides, Khaleda Zia had been suffering from various complications including arthritis and diabetes for a long time.