Khaleda Zia
Unidentified youth attempted to enter Khaleda Zia’s hospital cabin, says Rizvi
An unidentified individual attempted to enter the cabin of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at Evercare Hospital on Saturday (December 23, 2023) evening.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi expressed deep concern over this incident. “The intrusion attempt by an unknown youth into the cabin of our ailing chairperson, a respected three-time former Prime Minister, is not only worrying but raises serious questions about the security measures in place,” Rizvi stated.
Read: BNP to form human chains on Dec 10 in protest against injustice: Rizvi
The BNP leader highlighted the gravity of the situation, given Khaleda Zia’s high-profile status and her current health struggles. People are astonished at how the security of such a prominent figure, particularly in her vulnerable state, could be compromised in a reputedly safe environment like Evercare Hospital, he added.
Rizvi further questioned the implications of this incident, suggesting a potential deeper conspiracy. “The mysterious nature of this attempted breach has sparked widespread concern and speculation among the people. It is imperative to ascertain whether this was an isolated incident or part of a more sinister plot.”
The incident has led to calls for heightened security for the 78-year-old Khaleda Zia, who has been hospitalized since August 9 for multiple health issues, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, and heart complications. Recently, she underwent a specialized hepatic procedure known as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), performed by a team of US specialists from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Medicine.
Read: EC’s show-causes for violating electoral code are a joke on the people: Rizvi
Since her conditional release from jail in 2020, Khaleda Zia has been under medical supervision. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the government extended her release, mandating her stay in her Gulshan residence and prohibiting international travel.
BNP expels Khaleda Zia's adviser Ekramuzzaman, Abu Zafar over collecting nomination papers
BNP has expelled its chairperson’s adviser, Syed AK Ekramuzzaman, and National Executive Committee member Shah Md Abu Zafar as they are going to take part in Bangladesh's 12th parliamentary election.
A press release signed by party's Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said on Tuesday (November 28, 2023) that the action was taken against the duo for their involvement in "anti-party activities."
“On the basis of clear allegations of involvement in activities that go against the party's discipline, BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council member Syed AK Ekramuzzaman and National Executive Committee member Shah Md Abu Zafar have been expelled from all posts at all levels of the party, including primary membership," the press release says.
Read: 12th Parliamentary elections: BNP chairperson's adviser collects nomination paper for Brahmanbaria-1 seat
Ekramuzzaman collected nomination paper on Monday to contest the national election from Brahmanbaria-1 (Nasirnagar) constituency.
BNP has already rejected the schedule for the 12th parliamentary election. It considers collecting nomination papers a "violation of party's discipline."
Ekramuzzaman contested the national election as an independent candidate in the 2001 election, and in the 2008 and 2018 elections as a BNP candidate, but he was never elected.
Meanwhile, BNP's National Executive Committee member Abu Zafar joined the newly registered party BNM (Bangladesh Nationalist Movement) on November 21 to take part in the upcoming election.
Read: BNP to enforce blockade Wednesday, hartal Thursday
Khaleda Zia's advisor Habibur Rahman arrested
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s advisor and the party’s Vice Chairman Md Habibur Rahman Habib.
RAB arrested the BNP leader from Dhaka’s Mirpur DOHS area early today (November 21, 2023) in connection with a case filed for contempt of court, RAB-2 Senior Assistant Director (Media) ASP Shihab Karim informed the media.
Read: 562 arrested by RAB on charges of sabotage since Oct 28
He was handed over to Sher-E-Bangla Nagar Police Station this morning for further legal action against him, added the RAB official.
Earlier, the High Court asked Habibur Rahman to appear before the court on November 6 and explain his “derogatory remarks” about a judge of the High Court on social media.
The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil passed the suo moto order.
The court issued a rule seeking explanation as to why punitive action should not be taken against the BNP leader for contempt of court.
Read: RAB arrests 4, including Sramik Dal leader, from Dhaka's Jatrabari in sabotage case
Talking about BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment Habibur said in a video, “I want to take an oath that the day when this government will be not be in power, even if Justice Akhtaruzzaman is alive, he will have to die, even if he dies, the body will be exhumed from the grave.”
BNP’s grand rally underway at Nayapaltan with huge turnout
The grand rally of BNP has begun in front of its Nayapaltan central office with the participation of thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies to press home their one-point demand for holding the upcoming national election under a non-party government.
The rally formally began around 12:40pm on Saturday with the recitation from the holy Quran.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will address the programme as the chief guest and announce their next course of action to mount pressure on the current regime to accept the one-point demand that includes the resignation of the current regime and holding the next election under a neutral government.
Leaders, activists have started gathering at Baitul Mukarram South Gate for AL’s Peace Rally
The leaders and followers of BNP and its associate bodies in their thousands gathered in front of their Nayapaltan central offices to attend the party’s grand rally.
Defying the party senior leaders’ instructions, several thousand opposition activists thronged Nayapaltan on Friday afternoon in advance and stayed there overnight there.
Carrying banners, festoons, placards and portraits of the party’s top leaders, the opposition followers from across the country took part in the programme
The roads and alleys stretching from Fakirerfoll to Kakrail Mosque were crowded with BNP activists, halting traffic in the area. The expanding rally crowd spilled over onto nearby roads and streets and spaces.
Thousands gather at Dhaka’s Nayapaltan for BNP’s grand rally
Many leaders and activists of the party alleged that they had to face checking and barricades by law enforcement agencies at the entrances and in different points of the capital.
They also alleged that police detained many of their colleagues on ‘lame’ excuses in a bid to obstruct the rally.
Police also detained 200 leaders and activists of BNP, believed to have gathered for the party’s grand rally, from an under-construction building in Dhaka’s Kakrail area early today.
The party set up a big stage on nine trucks and rolled out the red carpets and installed loudspeakers.
Artistes from the BNP's cultural body performed patriotic songs to keep the crowds invigorated.
Apart from BNP, other like-minded political parties and alliances are also arranging separate rallies in different spots in the city to press home the one-point demand.
200 BNP men detained from under-construction building in Dhaka’s Kakrail area
Besides, the ruling Awami League is also scheduled to hold a rally in front of the south gate of Baitul Mukarram mosque, which is 1.7 kilometres away from the BNP’s venue at Nayapaltan
After taking much time, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) finally gave Awami League and BNP permission on Friday evening to hold their rallies in the capital’s Baitul Mukarram’s South Gate and Nayapaltan respectively on 20 conditions.
All eyes will be on the BNP’s rally as speculations are there that the party may announce tougher action programmes like marching towards important government offices or laying siege to these offices in the capital.
Earlier on October 18, the BNP announced the grand rally in the capital for October 28 to start the 'final phase' of action and programmes of the ongoing movement to topple the current regime, thus paving the way for holding the next election under a non-party neutral government.
Khaleda has to return to jail first before taking treatment abroad, PM Hasina tells VoA
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s jail term suspension will have to be revoked first and she needs to go to jail again if she wants to go abroad for treatment.
She said this during an interview with the Bangla service of Voice of America (VoA) aired on Saturday (September 30, 2023).
The prime minister, now on a visit to the US, responded to a number of questions on US Visa sanction, human rights, Khaleda’s treatment abroad, caretaker government, the constitution and other issues.
Khaleda Zia has been kept captive to remain in power: Fakhrul
When asked about the possibility of reconsidering the decision to send Khaleda abroad for improved medical care, she said, “My question is, which country in the world can send a convicted criminal abroad for better treatment? Will any country allow it?”
“If they want to apply, they have to go to the court and take court permission. We have no authority over work of the judiciary," she stated.
Khaleda Zia again moved to CCU from cabin at Evercare Hospital
“But yes, we have suspended her jail term, given permission to stay at home. And she is taking treatment now in the most expensive hospital in Bangladesh. If they need to go abroad, the permission to stay at home would first need to be revoked, she will need to return to prison again, and court. Only after obtaining court permission could she travel abroad,” she said.
Khaleda under close observation of medical board; no improvement, say doctors
Application must be submitted to Home Ministry to allow Khaleda Zia to go abroad for better treatment: Law Minister
Bangladesh's Law Minister Anisul Huq today (September 23, 2023) said that an application must be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs to allow BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for better treatment.
He said this while talking to reporters in Brahmanbaria’s Akhaura upazila.
BNP extends 15-day programmes by 2 days
“The application must be submitted to the Home Ministry, which then can ask the Law Ministry for its opinion. A decision will be reached upon their formal submission,” he said.
“Khaleda Zia continues to receive quality healthcare at Evercare Hospital despite her prison sentence, courtesy of the benevolence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” the law minister added.
Earlier on September 18, the Security Services Division under the Home Ministry issued a notification extending the suspension of Khaleda’s jail term by another six months.
BNP’s associate bodies’ road march from Rangpur to Dinajpur begins this noon
Khaleda Zia has to receive treatment in Dhaka, and she will not be allowed to go abroad during this period, said the notification.
BNP held special prayers for her at the metropolitan, district, upazila, municipality, union and ward levels across the country after Jummah prayers.
The 78-year-old former prime minister has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.
Since her conditional release in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving treatment at the hospital under a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.
Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty in another corruption case the same year.
BNP ‘secretly’ preparing for election to start nomination trade: Quader
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government of Bangladesh temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with the condition that she stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country.
Khaleda Zia moved to CCU at Evercare Hospital
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been shifted to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) from the cabin of the Evercare Hospital in the capital Friday on the advice of her medical board.
Khaleda Zia's personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain said she was shifted at 11:30 am.
BNP held special prayers for her at the metropolitan, district, upazila, municipality, union and ward levels across the country after Jum'a prayers.
Khaleda Zia’s jail term suspension extended again by 6 months
The 78-year-old former prime minister has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.
Since her conditional release in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving treatment at the hospital under a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.
Khaleda under close observation, says her physician
Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty in another corruption case the same year.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with the condition that she stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country.
Khaleda Zia now taken back to cabin from CCU
Khaleda Zia moved to CCU from cabin at Evercare Hospital
BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who is now undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, was transferred to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) from a cabin in the early hours of Monday (September 18, 2023).
"Khaleda Zia was transferred to the CCU at 1:30 am as per the recommendation of her medical board,” Shamsuddin Didar, a member of the BNP chairperson's media wing, confirmed to the media.
Read: Court allows 3 foreigners to testify against Khaleda in Niko graft case
The 78-year-old former prime minister has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.
Since her conditional release in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving treatment at the hospital under a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.
Read: Govt ‘plotting to kill’ Khaleda restricting her treatment abroad: BNP
Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty in another corruption case the same year.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with the condition that she stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country.
HC turns down Khaleda’s plea seeking cancellation of charge framing in Niko graft case
The High Court (HC) on Wednesday rejected the revision petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging framing of charges against her by the trial court in the Niko graft case.
The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Aminul Islam passed the order after hearing the revision petition in this regard, said Anti-Corruption Commissioner’s (ACC) Counsel Khurshid Alam.
Read: Follow HC order banning meeting, procession on court premises, SC asks lawyers
As a result, there is no legal bar to continuing the case in the trial court, he said.
Senior lawyer AJ Mohammad Ali and Barrister Kaisar Kamal stood for the BNP chairperson and Attorney General A M Aminuddin and Additional Attorney General Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury represented the state in the court.
On December 9, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case accusing Khaleda and four others of causing a loss of Tk 137.77 billion to the state by signing an oil and gas exploration deal with Canadian company Niko on behalf of the state that was deemed against Bangladesh's national interests and swayed by graft.
The anti-graft body pressed charges in court against 11 people, including Khaleda, in May 2008.
The other accused in the case are former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddique, Khandaker Shahidul Islam, CM Yusuf Hossain, former Bapex general manager Mir Mainul Haq, Giasuddin Al Mamun, former parliamentarian MAH Selim and former vice-president of South Asia affairs of Niko Kashem Sharif.
Read: 3 to die for 2013 murder in Madaripur; police can't find them
Among the accused, BNP Standing Committee Member Barrister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister AKM Mosharraf Hossain and former secretary of Bapex Shafiur Rahman died during the trial proceedings.
Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Central Jail as a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty and convicted in another corruption case the same year.
Read: HC asks BTRC to remove Tarique's speeches from social media; judges leave courtroom amid pro-BNP lawyers’ loud protests
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with the condition that she stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country.
It’s urgent to send Khaleda abroad for treatment: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday (August 12, 2023) expressed concern over the worsening physical condition of their party chairperson Khaleda Zia as doctors again advised her to be sent abroad immediately for treatment at an advanced centre.
“I was there in the hospital (Evercare) yesterday (Friday). The doctors of the medical board are very worried. They’re not sure whether her treatment will eventually be possible if she’s not immediately sent abroad for advanced treatment,” he said.
Talking to reporters after offering fateha at the grave of the BNP chief’s late son Arafat Rahman Koko, Fakhrul said the doctors told him that it is urgent to send Khaleda abroad for her proper treatment.
“I would like to clearly tell the authorities concerned to immediately release our leader Begum Khaleda Zia and take steps for her proper treatment overseas," he said.
Read: Khaleda Zia returns home from hospital after 5 days
Otherwise, the BNP leader warned that people will create a mass upsurge intensifying the ongoing one-point movement for ensuring the unconditional release of Khaleda.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital on Wednesday night on the advice of a medical board formed for her treatment as she fell sick again.
She has now been receiving treatment at the hospital under a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.
Her personal doctor A ZM Zahid Hossain said Khaleda’s liver problems worsened and she was suffering from fever. Fakhrul visited the BNP chief on Friday evening and talked to the doctors about her physical condition.
Earlier on June 13, the BNP chairperson was admitted to the same hospital and received treatment for a few days after she suddenly fell sick with a fever and stomachache.
Khaleda, a 78-year-old former prime minister, has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.
Read: Khaleda Zia under close observation at Evercare, says her physician Zahid
Fakhrul along with BNP leaders and activists went to Koko’s grave at Banani in the morning and offered fateha there, marking the 54th birthday of the late younger son of Khaleda and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
On January 24, 2015, Koko died of cardiac arrest at the age of 45 at a rented house in Malaysia.
After visiting the grave premises, Fakhrul alleged that Koko lost his life prematurely due to direct and indirect torture and torture by the interim regime of Fakhruddin-Moyeenuddin after the 1/11 political changeover in 2007.
“It’s very unfortunate that the Moyeenuddin-Fakhruddin regime shamelessly and brutally tortured our extraordinary sports organiser. He fell ill due to physical torture and died while undergoing treatment in Malaysia,” he said.
Read more: Khaleda Zia taken to Evercare Hospital for health check-ups
On Koko’s birthday, Fakhrul said they offered his grave and prayed for the salvation of his departed soul.