A Dhaka court has acquitted BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, along with Standing Committee members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, in the long-standing Gatco corruption case. Judge Abu Taher of Dhaka Special Judges’ Court-3 gave the order following a hearing on Thursday. Former OC Rafiqul remanded in case over blocking Khaleda Zia's residence with sand trucks The Gatco corruption case has been a point of contention for over a decade, with the original complaint filed at the Tejgaon Police Station on September 2, 2007. Initially, 24 individuals, including influential figures from the previous four-party alliance government, were named in the charge sheet submitted by the ACC in 2008. As the case progressed, several accused passed away, including former ministers Saifur Rahman and Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami, among others.

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.

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.

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.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka early Tuesday (June 13, 2023) as she fell sick. The BNP chief left her Gulshan residence around 1:20am and reached the hospital around 1:40am, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. He said she was admitted to the Evercare Hospital as per the decision of her medical board. “Madam (Khaleda) was taken to the hospital as she fell ill suddenly,” said BNP's health affairs secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam. Also Read: Niko graft case: Khaleda Zia files petition to cancel charge framing Party sources said Khaleda’s personal doctors, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and some senior leaders went to her residence at midnight after hearing the news of her illness. Later, she was taken to the hospital as per the suggestion of the medical board formed earlier for her treatment.  The BNP chief’s younger brother Shamim Eskandar drove her to the Hospital in a  private car. She last went to the same hospital on April 29 last and received treatment there for five days. Also Read: Khaleda Zia returns home from hospital after 5 days The BNP chief received treatment at the hospital seven times since she was infected with Coronavirus in April, 2021. 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. 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. On June 10 last year, the BNP chief suffered a heart attack due to a 95 percent block in her left artery and a stent was placed there by removing the blockage at the same hospital the following day. Also Read: Khaleda Zia under close observation at Evercare, says her physician Zahid Doctors also found two more blocks in her blood vessels, but they could not remove those due to her health complications. 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 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 conditions that she will stay in her Gulshan house and will not leave the country. Read more: Law Ministry for extending Khaleda’s jail term suspension without relaxing conditions

The Law Ministry on Thursday received a petition seeking another extended suspension of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s jail term sent by the Homer Ministry. “The Law Ministry has received a file from the Home Ministry regarding the extension of Khaleda Zia's release term by suspending her sentence. We’ll send it back to the Home Ministry with our opinions,” Law Minister Anisul Huq told UNB. Replying to a question about whether the BNP chief will be allowed to go abroad this time, the minister said, he still did not see the file. “I’ve not received the file yet.  So, I can’t tell you what the file contains.” He, however, said the government first released Khaleda in 2020 with two conditions and her release term was extended several times with those conditions. “I think the previous conditions will also remain this time.” The BNP Chairperson younger brother Shamim Eskandar submitted a fresh application recently to the Home Ministry seeking a further extension to the suspended jail term of his sister as her release period will end on March 24 next. In the application, he also urged the government to relax the conditions of the BNP chief’s release and allow her to go abroad for treatment. In the previous applications, Khaleda’s family also sought permission to send her abroad for medical treatment.  This is the seventh time the BNP chief’s family sought an extension to her suspended jail term. The government accepted all the previous applications but did not give Khaleda permission to go abroad for treatment. On various occasions, the law minister explained that there was no legal scope to relax the conditions given by the government during Khaleda’s first release through an executive order. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order by suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with conditions that she would stay at her Gulshan house and would not leave the country. Since then, her release term has been extended every six months following the family's plea. The government has so far extended the convicted former prime minister’s conditional release six times, with the last extension on September 18, 2022. 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. The 77-year-old BNP chief has been staying at her Gulshan residence since her release in 2020. She also received treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital six times since she was infected with Covid-19 in April 2021 As per her physicians, Khaleda has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems. They have long been saying that the BNP chief needs to receive treatment in any advanced medical centre abroad for her critical diseases, including liver cirrhosis.

The government will extend the suspension of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s jail sentence in two corruption cases, if her family files petition, Law Minister Anisul Huq said today (September 10, 2022). The law minister said this while talking to reporters after attending a training programme of judges at Bangladesh Judicial Administration Training Institute in Dhaka. “If we receive any petition from Khaleda Zia’s family, the tenure of her conditional release will be definitely extended,” he said. Also read: Khaleda returns home from hospital Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, the government suspended Khaleda’s jail term for six months through an executive order on March 25, 2020. The government extended her conditional release in the two corruption cases several times. The former prime minister was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a special court in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. She was convicted in a second corruption case later. Also read: Khaleda being deprived of due treatment: Fakhrul The 76-year-old BNP chief has been staying at her Gulshan residence since her release from jail. A special team of her personal physicians has been overseeing her treatment.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia returned home on Friday evening after a 14-day stay in the capital's Evercare Hospital for the treatment of her various health complications, including blockages in her arteries. The BNP chief left the hospital at about 5:40pm and reached her Gulshan residence around 6:10pm. Earlier at a press conference, the medical board formed to ensure Khaleda’s treatment at the hospital, said the ailing BNP chief was discharged from the hospital due to a risk of Covid infection as the virus cases are on the rise again in the country. Dr Shahabuddin Talukder, the head of the medical board, said, "Madame (Khaleda) is still ill. But she’s now stable. We don’t want to keep her here (hospital) now amid the surge in Covid cases. There’s a chance of Covid and other infections if she now stays here.” He also feared that her condition will be very critical if Khaleda gets a viral or bacterial infection. “That is why the full medical board has decided to release her from the hospital.” The physician said if there is any complications further, she will be admitted to the hospital immediately. “Bleeding complication is now a very challenging matter for her. As she has a liver cirrhosis problem, she is now at high risk of bleeding. We overcame her kidney complications. There are still two blockages in her coronary arteries,” he said. Prof Shahabuddin said Khaleda will have to be kept under full monitoring though she is going to stay at home. He said the doctors will ensure her proper treatment at her residence. Replying to a question, Dr Shahabuddin said they identified three blockages, including a culprit one with 95 percent block, in the BNP chief’s arteries. As per the international medical guideline practice, he said they set up a stent removing only the culprit blockage which was causing her chest pain and heart failure. The physicians said the BNP chairperson was facing renal and heart failure while they were removing her blockage. “Her kidneys could have been totally shut down had we tried to remove two other blockages. That's why we didn't remove those blockages." Also read: Khaleda to return home from hospital today He also said they treated Khaleda by overcoming many challenges as she has liver cirrhosis, diabetes, kidney problem and other comorbidities. “We all were shaky while treating her due to various challenges.” The doctor also said they might not save Khaleda if she was not taken to the hospital immediately in the early hours of June 10. Another medical board member Professor AFM Siddiqui said the BNP chief has many critical illnesses, including renal failure, chances of bleeding and liver cirrhosis. Stating that there is no treatment for liver cirrhosis in the country, he said they just stopped the bleeding spots through ligation. “But we have not been able to follow up on them. It’s becoming riskier to follow up now due to her cardiac condition.” The physician said they have long been repeatedly talking about sending Khaleda to an advanced centre for her comprehensive treatment of all critical diseases. “We don’t have that kind of centre and measures. That is why we have been saying that her proper and complete treatment is not possible in our country.” Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, a personal doctor of Khaleda, said the BNP chief and her family members thanked all, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and everyone involved with the management of the hospital, for providing her treatment with sincerity. He said the BNP chief also urged the country’s people to pray for her speedy recovery. Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital on June 10 as she complained of chest pain. Later, doctors said she suffered a heart attack due to 95 per cent blockage in her left artery and a stent was placed there by removing the blockage.” Two more blockages were found in the arteries of the BNP chairperson through a coronary angiogram. She was shifted to a cabin from the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) on June 15. Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has long been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye problems.

The High Court on Thursday has granted permanent bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in two defamation cases. From now on, the BNP chief will remain on bail until the end of the cases’ procedures. The bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Shahed Nuruddin passed the bail order by disposal of the rule in two cases. Also read: Khaleda shifted to cabin from CCU Khaleda’s counsel Kaisar Kamal stood for her while Deputy Attorney General Sarwar Hossain Bappi represented the state. AB Siddique, president of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami League organisation, filed the cases against Khaleda Zia accusing her of hurting the religious sentiment of the Muslims and for making derogatory comments on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on October 21, 2014, and on January 25, 2017, respectively.  Also read: Khaleda must follow legal process for treatment abroad, says Home Minister

The 19-member medical board, formed for the treatment of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at Evercare Hospital in the capital, is going to meet this evening to review her condition. Professor Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, a personal physician of Khaleda , said the medical board will sit at the meeting at 5pm. He said doctors at the meeting will review the BNP chief’s condition and different reports to decide her next course of treatment. Also read: Send Khaleda abroad for treatment to evade public wrath: BNP to govt Dr Zahid  said Khaleda is still under the observation of doctors in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU). “Her cardiac point is not yet completely stable”. He said the medical board headed by Prof Shahabuddin Talukder has been observing the BNP chief’s condition and ensuring proper treatment to her. “Nothing can be said about her condition before 72 hours are passed.” Earlier on Sunday, he said three blockages were found in the arteries of the BNP chairperson through a coronary angiogram test conducted on Saturday. Zahid, also a BNP vice chairman, said Khaleda suffered a heart attack due to around a 95 per cent blockage in her left artery. “A stent has been placed there by removing the blockage.” About two other blockages, Zahid said doctors will take proper measures in this regard after observing her condition as she has chronic kidney and liver problems. Earlier, Khaleda, was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital in the early hours of Saturday as she suddenly fell ill. Also read: Khaleda has two more blockages in arteries; kept under 72-hrs observation A ring (stent) was placed in the main artery of her heart on Saturday afternoon. Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has long been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye problems.