Staff Reporter :
The President of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain on Monday said the government is pushing the BNP Chairperson, Begum Khaleda Zia, towards death by preventing food supply to her Gulshan office.
“Police is not allowing anyone to take any kind of food to her Gulshan office for the last several days. The government has taken that detestable path to push her to death keeping her starved in a calculative manner,” he said in a news conference at the Supreme Court auditorium.
Advocate Mahbub, who is also adviser to Khaleda Zia added: “We are demanding immediate release of
Khaleda Zia and the removal of all obstacles on the way to provide her with food. We also want the leaders and activists of all political parties to uninterruptedly meet the BNP Chairperson at her office.”
Drawing the attention of the United Nations and all human rights organizations, Khandker Mahbub said Khaleda Zia is besieged at her Gulshan office and her party colleagues are unable to meet her.
“It is violation of human rights. Though it was not officially announced that she was arrested, the political leaders and dignitaries are not allowed to enter her office. Police arrests those who try to meet her, he said.
“The government is cleverly trying to keep Khaleda Zia starved with an intention to push her to death gradually as she is involved in the movement to establish democracy and people’s right to vote in the country,” he added.
He also sounded a note of caution, saying if the government continues to close all doors to democracy it would help the emergence of militancy in the country that is not expected in any way.
Criticizing the police, he said the news of police’s interruption to food supply to Khaleda’s office came to the media but the police chief is giving untrue statements, claiming that the food supply is not being interrupted. “He (the police chief) has tarnished the image of police giving untrue statements.”
Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, the secretary of SCBA, said the government is treating Khaleda Zia like a prisoner.
“The prisoners are supplied with foods in the jail but Khaleda is deprived of it. It is a violation of her fundamental right. Such instances are not seen even in autocratic countries. We will realize her fundamental rights through a legal process in a democratic way,” he added.
Among others, Advocate M Khaled Ahmed, Advocate Rafiqul Islam Mehedi, Advocate Nasrin Akhter and Advocate Shamim Akhter Banu were also present in the conference.
