BNP will observe a seven-hour mass-hunger strike on Saturday across the country, including the capital, demanding the immediate release of 'critically' ill Khaleda Zia for better treatment abroad.

Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programme at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.

Fakhrul said the programme will be observed in all metropolitan cities and district towns from 9am to 4pm.

In the capital, he said, the programme will be held in front of their party’s Nayapaltan central office if they do not get any other suitable venue.

Read: No legal scope for Khaleda to go abroad: Law Minister

Fakhrul renewed their party’s demand for immediately allowing Khaleda to go abroad for advanced treatment and saving her life.

"Khaleda Zia is fighting a battle between life and death. She’s the most beloved leader of the people of Bangladesh. It’s inhumane that she won’t be given a scope to receive treatment abroad."

Meanwhile, a BNP press release said the party’s scheduled human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club and two districts in protest against the killing of Bangladeshis along the border by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has been suspended.

Rejecting Law Minister’s Comment 

Fakhrul claimed that Law Minister Anisul Huq’s explanation about not giving Khaleda a scope for going abroad under section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC) is not current one.

“The law minister told parliament that there’s no chance of taking Khaleda Zia abroad for medical treatment as her sentence has been suspended based on conditions. It’s not correct. As the provisions of Section 401 of the CrPC, the government can suspend or remit the sentence of a convicted person conditionally or unconditionally. In the case of Begum Khaleda Zia, the government has conditionally suspended the sentence, not remit it,” he said.

The BNP leader also said whether their chairperson Khaleda Zia will be allowed to go abroad now depends on the government’s wish, not on the law.

Fakhrul said Khaleda stayed 54 days at the hospitals with post-Covid complications. “She was also given five bags of blood at that time and her condition was life threatening at this age.”

He said the BNP chief was readmitted to Evercare Hospital with new symptoms and underwent a biopsy.

Read: Done enough for Khaleda Zia, says Hasina

The BNP leader said as Khaleda was taken to the hospital again on November 13 she was given blood again and she also underwent endoscopy test.

“It’s not possible to control all her diseases effectively even with the highest treatment in Bangladesh. That’s why the medical board advised to send her abroad for advanced treatment,” he said.

Fakhrul said Khaleda’s health problems are still recoverable. “But if she doesn’t get proper treatment in time, she may reach any stage when no treatment will be effective.”

On Tuesday, the Law Minister said the government will consider BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s appeal to go abroad for medical treatment if she makes a fresh petition after returning to jail.

“No fresh order can be given over a solved petition anymore. If she applies again after going to jail, then we’ll consider it. But there’s no scope to consider any fresh step under the section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in these circumstances,” he told Parliament.

Khaleda, a 76-year-old BNP chairperson and former prime minister, was readmitted to Evercare Hospital on November 13, six days after she had returned home from the hospital.

The BNP chief's physicians said she has been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, ophthalmological and dental complications.

They also said she is now suffering from a critical cardiac problem while her blood sugar is out of control and hemoglobin level in her blood has dropped.

On behalf of the 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.