Gonoshasthaya Kendra's founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Sunday made a humanitarian call to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to take steps for ensuring bail to ailing BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia. In a statement, he said, “As a physician, I make a humanitarian request to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed and the government to take steps to give bail to ailing Begum Khaleda Zia." Stating that Khaleda has long been suffering from various complicated diseases, Zafrullah said her health condition has deteriorated from all sides. “Her diabetes is completely out of control while hemoglobin level in her blood has also dropped significantly. She has been suffering for many years from arthritis, dental and eye problems. The creatinine level of her kidneys has crossed the borderline,” he said. Zafrullah, also a freedom fighter, said Khaleda has to remain now under intensive treatment as some parameters in her body are abnormal. “She’s very weak physically. She has already been infected with coronavirus.” READ: Dr Zafrullah describes how Bangladesh can go for low-cost vaccine production The noted doctors said it is not a good sign that Khaleda has been frequently getting admitted to the hospital for treatment. In this situation, he said Khaleda now needs to move freely in the open air and take treatment as per her wish. “Her crucial need is bail from the Prime Minister and the government considering her physical condition, age and political and social position,” Zafrullah observed. Khaleda has been undergoing treatment in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of Evercare Hospital in the capital. On Saturday, she was readmitted to the hospital for follow-up treatment, nearly a week after she was discharged from it. It is for the third time that the 76-year-old BNP chief was admitted to the hospital this year for various health complications. READ: Bring Zaima back home to revive BNP: Dr Zafrullah The BNP chief's physicians said she has been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, ophthalmological and dental complications. Her family applied to the government twice in May and August this year seeking permission to take her abroad for better treatment, but the government turned it down saying there is no scope for a convicted person to avail of such a scope. 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. On September 19, the government for the fourth time extended the suspension of her jail term with conditions that she will not leave the country and stay at her Gulshan home.

Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Wednesday urged BNP to bring back home Zaima Rahman, the granddaughter of Khaleda Zia, from London to intensify the anti-government movement. Speaking at a discussion, he also called upon the BNP leaders to take to the streets shunning political rhetoric and making hollow statements on political issues. “Bring Zaima back. I’m saying it as she’s young. She’ll learn politics … if Zaima remains with them (BNP leaders), there’ll be a wave in (politics of) the country and you’ll see then they (AL) won’t even know when their boat will sink,” Zafrullah said. The Gonoshasthya Kendra founder said BNP followers become unhappy if he makes any remark about the party leadership. “But I would like to say one thing that Khaleda Zia is a brave lady...her leadership is necessary to make the anti-government movement a success.” READ: Dr Zafrullah describes how Bangladesh can go for low-cost vaccine production He also said BNP will not be able to drum up public support with only its political rhetoric and light statements on political issues. "If you want to remove this vote robber, you’ll have to take to the streets with sticks and rods whatever you have…then you’ll see where they flee,” Zafrullha said. He said BNP and other parties should get united to ensure the fall of the current government. Speaking at the programme, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna urged the political parties to reach a consensus that the national election cannot be held under the current government. “We want a government that can guarantee a fair election in the country. If we can get united with such a demand we have a bright prospect of achieving a victory,” he said. READ: Bring Zaima back home to revive BNP: Dr Zafrullah BNP vice-chairman Barkatullah Bulu said there is no alternative to a united movement to free the country from the ‘misrule’ of Awami League. "Under the current situation, we would like to say all democratic and progressive forces in Bangladesh should unite and come under a single platform to restore democracy,” he observed.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday urged Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury to refrain from making unguarded and confusing remarks over their party and its leadership. “He (Zafrullah) is a very revered and wise man. But as he has become older, he makes some reckless comments. His remarks on the process of appointing Tarique Rahman as the acting chairman of BNP is not logical,” he said. Talking to reporters at his residence here, the BNP leader said Zafrullah has long been raising voice against fascism. ”But he never thought that such comments (against BNP) can disrupt the anti-fascist movement.” "I would like to request him (Zafrullah) not to make such remarks that confuse people. Tarique Rahman is organising our party. The whole party is united under his leadership,” Fakhrul said. READ: Dr Zafrullah describes how Bangladesh can go for low-cost vaccine production Earlier at a programme at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital on Sept 2, Zafrullah criticised BNP for what he said making Tarique the BNP acting chairman violating its constitution. Protesting Zafrullah’s remark, Fakhrul said Tarique was made the BNP acting chairman maintaining the party charter. “Tarique was the party's senior joint secretary general and then senior vice chairman. He has gradually come to this position. He’s been successfully organising the party from abroad.” He hoped that BNP will soon be able to launch a movement reorganising the party’s rank and file under its current acting chairman. “We’ll able to remove the fascist Awami League government and establish a pro-people one through that movement.” The BNP leader said people have lost their confidence in the entire election system.  “We’ve seen its reflection in the previous parliamentary elections. The government has destroyed the election system, the first pillar of democracy, and usurped power illegally.” READ: Bring Zaima back home to revive BNP: Dr Zafrullah He slammed Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda for his subservient role in running the Commission, saying he always becomes ready to fulfill the hopes and aspirations.

Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Saturday alleged that the government is trying to suppress the new generation in ‘Pakistani style’. Speaking at a protest rally in the city, he also accused the government of killing five youths in a planned way in Chattogram and Brahmanbaria on Friday over the protest against Modi’s visit. “Registering protest is our fundamental right. The killings in Hefazat’s programmes are planned ones,” Zafrullah said adding, “Those killed (on Friday) were young men. This new generation is being suppressed in Pakistani style.” Bhasani Anusari Parishad arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting the attacks on protest programmes against Modis visit on Friday. Also read: Dr Zafrullah slams BNP for failure to wage any movement Zafrullah, also a freedom fighter, alleged that the government forced the country’s people to greet a “communal person like Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi” on the occasion of Bangladesh’s Golden Jubilee. He extended support to Hefazat-e-Islam’s a dawn-to-dusk hartal to be enforced across the country on Sunday protesting the killings of its activists by police and the attack on them by the supporters of the ruling party. The freedom fighter urged the government not to obstruct Hefazat’s hartal programme as the followers of the organisation have the right to observe such a programme in a peaceful manner. “I think we should all support this hartal.” Chief coordinator of Ganasanghati Andolan Zonayed Saki urged the government to ensure a proper investigation into police attacks on anti-Narendra Modi protest programmes in the capital, Chattogram and Brahmanbaria and make public the identities of those killed in the incidents. Also read: Dr Zafrullah receives vaccine, urges all to do so He also demanded the government to put those responsible for the killings on trial and ensure compensation for the victim’s family members. Besides, Saki urged the government to investigate the attacks on different progressive student organisations over the past week and withdraw the false cases filed against them. Meanwhile, the organisers of the protest programme locked into an altercation with police members as they encircled the rally before it concludes. Later, police detained at least five people from the post.

Criticising BNP for its failure to wage any movement with public issues, Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Tuesday said senior leaders of the party have apparently become ‘deaf and blind’.

Receiving the vaccine on the first day of Covid-19 mass vaccination drive, Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Sunday urged all to take it without fear.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Friday alleged that the current government has established ‘one-party Baksal’ rule in the country under a different cover by ‘snatching’ people’s democratic rights.

Although he recovered from coronavirus, the health condition of Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury deteriorated on Tuesday.

The overall health condition of Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, infected with coronavirus and pneumonia, is improving gradually.