The six-member Appellate bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order after hearing the petition.

“The petition is dismissed,” the court announced.

On December 5, the top court deferred the hearing until December 12 and asked the medical board formed to treat Khaleda to submit a report on her health condition. 

The bench, led by the Chief Justice, passed the order after Attorney General Mahbubey Alam sought time to file the report.

Vice Chancellor of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Prof Kanak Kanti Barua sent the medical report to the registrar of the Supreme Court on Wednesday which was prepared by the seven-member physician board.

The medical report said Khaleda Zia’s arthritis is in critical state and it is getting worse gradually.

The report also said the treatment for curing the disease is yet to be invented. But the treatment techniques to keep the disease under control have advanced much in the last several decades.

The report also said the medical board recommended application of international standard biological therapy for the treatment of the BNP chief’s arthritis. But she is yet to take any positive decision over taking the treatment. 

Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam claimed at a press conference at his office that Khaleda Zia’s physical condition has not been deteriorated much. 

Asked about the medical report, Alam said it says that her knees were replaced -- one in 1997 and another in 2002 -- and now it requires advanced treatment with some specific injection. 

“Khaleda Zia is not permitting to push the injection,” said Alam adding that the Court directed the BSMMU to do the treatment upon Khaleda Zia’s permission. 

On the other hand, BNP chairperson's adviser and lawyer Advocate Zainul Abedin Farroque on Thursday said, “The government wants to keep Khaleda Zia in jail till her death.”

He said an advanced treatment and medicines are required for the BNP Chairperson, but it cannot be provided to her. 

Meanwhile, Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said the Appellate Division rejected bail to Khaleda Zia after considering her medical report.

“Six justices must have taken the decision after enough consideration and as we believe in the rule of law, we’ve to accept it,” he said while talking to reporters at the Secretariat.

On November 28, the bench deferred the hearing on the bail petition until December 5. It also asked the medical board to submit a health report before the court on December 5.

Khaleda moved the apex court on November 14 challenging a High Court Division order that had turned down her bail petition in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

The High Court on September 11 rejected her bail petition. Khaleda’s bail plea had been turned down twice before – on July 31 and September 3.

On August 8, 2011, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Charitable Trust case with Tejgaon police against four people, including Khaleda. They were accused of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.

A special court jailed the BNP chief and three others for seven years in the case on October 29 last year. Khaleda later moved the High Court.

The former prime minister has been in jail since February 8 last year after she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in a separate corruption case.

She is currently being treated at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Her party has been accusing the government of not providing adequate treatment facilities to Khaleda.