Bangladesh
Khaleda Zia Khaleda Zia will have to go to jail again if she wants to go abroad: Prime Minister in an interview
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, 30 September 2023: If BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is to be taken abroad for treatment, she will have to apply to the court. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that if the court gives permission, she can go abroad. She said this in an interview given to Voice of America's Shatarupa Barua.
Khaleda Zia's physical condition is not good, her family members said. That's why they want to take him abroad for better treatment - when the Prime Minister was asked about this, she said, "I ask, which country in the world has been able to send the convicted accused abroad for treatment. Will any country in the world give it? If they (BNP) have to ask, then again. We have to go to the court. We have to take permission from the court. There is no scope for us to interfere with the work of the court here."
"But yes, what I have been able to do for her (Khaleda Zia), as far as I have the power as the government, is to suspend her sentence and give her permission to stay at home. She is getting treatment herself now. She is getting treatment in the most expensive hospital in Bangladesh. If If she has to go out, I have to withdraw the house I have given her permission to stay in. She has to go back to jail, and go to court. Appeal to the court. If the court decides, then she can go. That's reality."
Meanwhile, Khaleda Zia is admitted to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka due to her deteriorating physical condition. She has been in the hospital since August 9. She was moved to CCU three times. Khaleda Zia is undergoing treatment under the supervision of Professor Shahabuddin Talukdar. Doctors said that her liver, heart and kidney problems are in critical condition. In this situation, on September 25, Khaleda Zia's younger brother Shamim Iskandar applied to the Ministry of Home Affairs for permission to receive treatment abroad.
Khaleda Zia was sentenced to five years on February 8, 2018 in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. She was imprisoned from that day. Later, the sentence was increased to 10 years in the High Court. Then Khaleda Zia was sentenced to another seven years in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.
In March 2020, the government suspended Khaleda Zia's sentence for six months following the family's plea following the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country. After that, the government is extending her release period every six months. Finally, on September 12, the sentence was suspended and the release period was extended by another six months.
