All in AL to Face ‘Murder Charge’ If Anything Happens to Khaleda: BNP

BNP on Wednesday warned that everyone in the current Awami League government will be charged with “murder” if any accident happens to its Chairperson Khaleda Zia for lack of advanced treatment abroad.

“They (govt) are hatching a plot knowingly as part of their premeditated plan to kill our leader Khaleda Zia. They want to kill her,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a human chain programme, he also said when people, irrespective of their party and opinion, want Khaleda to be sent abroad, the current government and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are not allowing her to go there for treatment out of serious political 'vengeance'.

“We would like to clearly say if any accident happens to Khaleda Zia for lack of advanced treatment, then each of them (in the govt) will be tried making them accused of a murder case,” the BNP leader said.

As part of their countrywide programme, BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged the human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club, registering their protest against the ‘unilateral’ 10th parliament election held on this day in 2014.

Fakhrul said the Awami League government sent Khaleda to jail by convicting her in “false” cases as part of its “blueprint of depoliticisation and eliminating the BNP chief”.

He said Khaleda Zia is now fighting for life in a hospital in the capital with a very critical health issue.

The BNP leader said though doctors are saying it is now essential to send Khaleda abroad right now, the government is not taking any step in this regard. “Instead, they’re trying to fool people on the pretext of law. No law is greater than a human life."

Fakhrul urged the government to take proper steps to send Khaleda abroad for treatment immediately recognising her contributions to the country, its development, and democracy shunning political vengeance.

Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital for various health complications since November 13.

Her medical board members said Khaleda immediately needs to go abroad for better treatment as she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.

On behalf of her family, Khaleda's younger brother, Shamim Iskander, submitted an application to the Home Ministry on November 11 urging the government to allow her to go abroad for better treatment.

The government still did not dispose of the application while the ministers are saying the BNP chief has no scope to go abroad until she files a fresh application returning to jail.