Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Sunday wanted to know the update of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s health condition by Wednesday.
The court asked the Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) to place Khaleda’s health report in the High Court through the Registrar General of the Supreme Court by 5.00 pm on the day.
The High Court bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq passed the order after hearing on a bail petition filed by BNP Chief in the Zia Charitable Trust case in which she was sentenced for seven years by a trial court.
The court also fixed February 27 for further hearing and passing order on the bail petition filed by the former prime minister.
In its order the HC wanted to know, if the former premier gave any consent to the earlier formed medical board of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University to provide her with advance biological treatment according to the Appellate Division’s order passed on December 12, 2019. If the medical board started her advance treatment with her consent and if the treatment started then what was the latest condition of her health?
Advocate Zainul Abedin appeared in the court on behalf of Khaleda Zia. Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Barrister Mainul Hosein, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan, Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali and Barrister Kayser Kamal were also present in the courtroom for BNP chief.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam appeared in the court for the state and Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
In the hearing, Khaleda’s lawyer Zainul Abedin told the court that the BNP chairperson’s health condition has deteriorated since December 12 last year. She is seriously ill and cannot move and take medicine on her own, the lawyer said.
Therefore, she needs bail for advanced treatment in the UK, he added. He prayed to the court to grant Khaleda’s bail on heath and humanitarian grounds.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam opposed the bail petition, saying that the HC had earlier rejected a similar bail petition of Khaleda and the appellate division also upheld the rejection order.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia filed a fresh bail petition with the High Court in the case on February 18 this year on health ground and the HC fixed Sunday for holding hearing on the petition.
Besides, Khaleda’s lawyer on Sunday filed a supplementary petition with the HC seeking directives upon the BSMMU authorities to submit a medical report of her.
A special court in Dhaka on October 29, 2018, convicted Khaleda in connection with the Zia Charitable Trust case and sentenced her to seven-year rigorous imprisonment.
On November 18, 2018, Khaleda Zia filed an appeal with the High Court challenging the lower court verdict and sought acquittal in the case. At the same time she filed a bail petition in the case which was rejected by the same HC bench on July 31, 2019.
Then she moved to the appellate division and the apex court on December 12, 2019, rejected her bail petition in the case.
The apex court, however, asked the medical board of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) to provide Khaleda with advance biological treatment with her consent.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after dismissing her petition with observations.
Khaleda Zia is suffering from Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Cough variant Asthma, and Rheumatoid Arthritis with secondary Sjogren syndrome with bilateral total knee replacement due to advance knee osteoarthritis.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Charitable Trust case against Khaleda, Harris, Ziaul and Monirul with Tejgaon police on August 8, 2011.
Khaleda Zia landed in jail on February 8, 2018, after a Dhaka court sentenced her to five years imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust case. The High Court on October 30 of the same year enhanced the punishment of Khaleda to 10 years imprisonment in this case.
