Govt wants to silence Khaleda Zia: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday blamed the incumbent government for purposefully trying to silence the party chairperson Khaleda Zia.

"By preventing her from going abroad for advanced treatment the government wants to silence her for good," the BNP leader told a rally in the capital.

Leaders and activists of Mohila Dal took out a procession from Nayapaltan this morning demanding the release of the ailing party chairperson and her medical treatment abroad. However, they ended up holding a rally in from of Nayapaltan central office after being stopped by the police. 

"Government doesn't want to let Khaleda Zia go abroad citing the provisions of law. But as per the law of the land, the government has the power to let her go right away," Mirza Fakhrul said adding, "Law is not the real barrier, the illegal government is."

He called upon the leaders and activists of the party to stimulate the passion of 1971 and fight again for the sake of reinstating democracy in the country and liberating Khaleda Zia.

Earlier yesterday, Mirza Fakhrul said that Khaleda Zia, diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, is now better than she was the night before.

"Dr Zahid (Khaleda's physician) phoned me last night (Monday night) and requested me to be at the hospital immediately...I went to Evercare Hospital around 12am and saw that the 10 doctors involved in Madam's treatment were very worried. I also got scared," the BNP leader said.

Fakhrul added that he wanted to know from the doctors what actually happened to the BNP chief. "They replied Madam suffered what we had feared. By the grace of Allah, the doctors could overcome the crisis as they did it thrice earlier through their tireless efforts."

After being convicted in a graft case, the former prime minister landed in jail in February 2018. Following the outbreak of Covid-19, the government on 25 March last year granted her temporary release on conditions at the request of her family.

Her family and BNP have been vocal since then to allow Khaleda in availing treatment abroad. But the government says she cannot leave the country as per the conditions of the temporary release.

The 76-year-old BNP chief has been suffering from arthritis, diabetes and several eye issues for many years. She got infected with coronavirus in April this year while staying at her Gulshan residence.

On 27 April, she was admitted to Evercare Hospital owing to post-Covid complications. In the last week of November this year, Khaleda's doctors at a press conference said not only was she diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, but has also started passing blood.