Govt executive order can send Khaleda Zia abroad for treatment: Nazrul

An executive order from the government could clear the way for Khaleda Zia, allowing her to travel abroad for treatment, Nazrul Islam Khan, a standing committee member of the BNP, has said.

He added that to seek the permission, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia does not need to go to jail, or court judgment, stating, "In the past, there were instances of many convicts, including Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) leader ASM Rab, receiving treatment abroad."

Nazrul Islam was addressing a brief rally of the Kishorerganj-bound Mymensingh divisional road march, organised by the Mymensingh metropolitan BNP, yesterday.

Addressing the rally as chief guest, another Standing Committee member of the BNP, Abdul Moyeen Khan said, "The people of Bangladesh have shown the government a red card. Now the government must be dismissed."

Alleging that the ruling Awami League government was formed through a nighttime election, he stated, "The government has no moral basis as well… They have taken away all the rights of the people, and that is why the people of the country do not want to see them in power – which is evident by the presence of millions of people in today's road march."

Barring Khaleda Zia from going abroad implementation of PM's statement: Rizvi

The decision to bar BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from travelling abroad for better treatment is the implementation of the prime minister's statement in the US, Senior Joint Secretary General of the BNP, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged.

"A few days ago, the law minister announced that a decision would be taken on Monday regarding the BNP chairperson's better treatment abroad. But three-four days before that, the prime minister said in an interview with the Voice of America in the US that if Begum Zia seeks to go abroad, she must first go to jail and file an appeal in court," Rizvi said during a press briefing at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office yesterday.

"The decision not to allow her [Khaleda Zia] to go abroad for better treatment is the implementation of the prime minister's statement in the US," added Rizvi.

Meanwhile, BNP chairperson's lawyer Kayser Kamal has said her request for permission to seek treatment abroad has been assessed politically rather than legally.

"The law minister publicly declared that any application made on behalf of Khaleda Zia would be duly reviewed. In response to the statement, Khaleda Zia's brother submitted an application on 25 September. Regrettably, it appears that the plea has been evaluated on political grounds rather than a legal one," he said. 

"Section-401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure clearly states that the government has the power to release her by executive order," the lawyer said following the law ministry's statement denying Khaleda permission to go abroad for treatment.