BNP on Thursday said there is no reason to seek clemency from the President by its chairperson Khaleda Zia since she did not commit any crime.
"There’s no question of seeking pardon as she (Khaleda) has not committed any crime. The Law Minister’s remarks (on confessing Khaleda’s corruption offences) reflect the nefarious political motives of the fascist government, which is nothing but a foul play,” said party organising secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince.
Read: Khaleda temporarily released after over 25 months
On Wednesday, Law Minister Anisul Haq in parliament said Khaleda Zia has to confess first to her corruption offences and then seek pardon from the President to go abroad for her treatment.
Prince said the Law Minister’s comments on Khaleda also manifest the government’s political vengeance and an attempt to control and pollute politics. “We strongly protest the statements made by the law minister in parliament.”
He said the BNP chairperson has been suffering from serious heart, kidney and liver complications, and receiving treatment at her Gulshan residence since she was discharged from Evercare Hospital in the capital.
The BNP leader said the medical board formed at the Evercare Hospital for Khaleda’s treatment recommended sending her to an advanced centre abroad. “We urged the government to shun political vengeance and not to create any barrier to sending three-time former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia abroad for advanced treatment.”
He also refuted the law minister’s comment that there is no scope to reconsider a fresh application of Khaleda’s family to send her aboard under Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) since it has been disposed of earlier. “The government can do it if it wants to under Section 401 of the CrPC.”
Read: Khaleda subjected to “state repression”: BNP
Prince alleged that the government has been trying to push Khaleda towards death by creating obstacles to ensuring her advanced treatment. "We would like to say the government has to shoulder all the responsibilities if anything bad happens to Khaleda Zia.”
On June 19, Khaleda Zia got back home from the capital’s Evercare Hospital after 53 days of treatment for Covid infections and other physical complications.
The 76-year-old BNP chief, who tested positive for Covid-19 on April 11, was admitted to Evercare Hospital on April 27.
She tested negative for Covid-19 on May 8, 27 days after she had been infected with the deadly virus.
Her family submitted an application to the government on May 6 seeking permission to send her abroad for advanced treatment, but it was turned down.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year.