A Dhaka court on Sunday framed charges against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others in Niko graft case. Judge of Dhaka Special Court-9 Sheikh Hafizur Rahman framed the charges. The court also fixed May 23 for recording the testimonies of the witnesses in the case. Advocate Masud Ahmmed Talukdar stood for Khaleda. Three other accused in the case- Khandaker Shahidul Islam, CM Yusuf Hossain and Businessperson Gias Uddin Al Mamun- were present at the court. Meanwhile, the court also issued a warrant for the arrest of another accused, Selim Bhuiya, in the case when his counsel Jakaria Haidar filed a petition seeking time. Earlier, the court deferred the hearing on charge framing in the case for several times. 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 to not place Bangladesh's national interest above all other considerations, and swayed by graft. Also read: Hearing on Niko case charge framing Mar 18 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 Niko Kashem Sharif. 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. 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 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.  

When the BNP complains about corruption, even donkeys laugh at them, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud commented on Tuesday. “BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the acting chairman have been punished for corruption and money laundering. The FBI came to Bangladesh and testified against Tareq Rahman,” he said. "So when the BNP complains about corruption, even donkeys laugh at them," he made these remarks while speaking at a Chattogram City Corporation event. “My question is: who made Bangladesh five times champions in corruption? The answer is BNP,” he continued. Read more: Economic crisis, inflation leave public life in the lurch: BNP Hasan Mahmud, the Awami League's joint general secretary, mentioned fires on school grounds in several districts in 2014. He said, “BNP carried out arson attacks in 500 schools. New books for students were destroyed in those schools. The BNP did this in the name of resisting the election.” “Prices of commodities increased due to the Ukraine war and the Corona pandemic,” he said in response to the BNP’s secretary general’s speech on the commodity price hikes. “Inflation is 8 percent in our country, which is much lower than in other countries,” he added. Chittagong City Corporation Mayor Bir Muktijoddha Rezaul Karim Chowdhury presided over the event, and Suborna Mustafa MP was the special guest.  

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia underwent health check-ups at Evercare Hospital in the capital on Monday. She arrived at the hospital from her Gulshan residence around 5:35 pm and stayed there for over one and a half hours, said her media wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan. He said the BNP chairperson underwent several tests at the hospital as per the advice of her medical board. The BNP chief left the hospital around 7: 13 pm and reached her residence at 8:22 pm, he said. Khaleda’s personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain said the medical board formed earlier, led by Prof Shahabuddin Talukder, advised her to go under the health check-ups at the hospital. "She underwent various necessary medical tests at the hospital. The test reports will be available by tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said. Read more: Khaleda to do politics if a favourable environment in place: BNP Zahid said the medical board will decide her next course of treatment after assessing her health condition and test reports. Asked about Khaleda’s physical condition, he said, "Her condition is as before and it remains unchanged.” Khaleda, a 77-year-old former prime minister, has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems. She received treatment at the same hospital six times since she was infected with Coronavirus in April, 2021. In November 2021, Khaleda Zia was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. Read more: No external pressure over letting Khaleda do politics: Law Minister  

The government will not send BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia back to jail before the next national election, Law Minister Anisul Huq said today (October 27, 2022). The minister made the remark in response to a question from reporters, after a training programme organised for sub-registrars at Judicial Administration Training Institute in Dhaka. The government has no plan to change the decision of suspending Khaleda Zia’s sentence as per section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC) with two conditions, Anisul added. Read more: Gatco graft case: Charge framing hearing against Khaleda deferred to Jan 29 On September 19, the government extended the suspension of Khaleda’s jail sentence for six more months. Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, the government suspended Khaleda’s jail sentence for six months through an executive order on March 25, 2020. The government extended her conditional release in two corruption cases several times. Read more: Law to determine Khaleda Zia’s election eligibility: Law Minister The former prime minister was sent to Old Dhaka’s 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. The 76-year-old BNP chief Khaleda Zia has been staying at her Gulshan residence since her release from jail. A special team of her personal physicians has been overseeing her treatment. Read AL wants to score in empty field: BNP

The family of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday sought further extension of her suspended prison sentence. On behalf of Khaleda Zia's younger brother Shamim Iskander, the BNP chief’s adviser Bijon Kanti Sarker and her personal secretary Abdus Sattar submitted an application to the home ministry in this regard, said Sayrul Kabir Khan, a member of BNP’s media cell. In the application, Sayrul said Shamim Iskander sought Khaleda’s unconditional release and the government's permission to send her abroad for advanced treatment. Also read: Khaleda’s conditional release to be extended once petition is filed: Law Minister Contacted, an official at the home ministry, wishing anonymity, said they received the application and it will be forwarded to the law ministry for a legal opinion. He said the application will be later sent to the Prime Minister’s office with the law ministry’s recommendations before taking the final decision on the matter. So far, the suspension of Khaleda Zia's prison sentence has been extended five times. The current suspension of her sentence will end on March 23. Earlier on Saturday, Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government will extend the suspension of the BNP chief’s jail sentences in two corruption cases if the family files any petition. Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months on March 25, 2020 through an executive order suspending her sentence on conditions that she would stay in her Gulshan house and would not leave the country. 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 returns home from hospital The 77-year-old BNP chief has been staying at her Gulshan residence since her release from jail. During this period she had been admitted to Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital for several times. A special team of her personal physicians has been overseeing her treatment.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with her close relatives, including sister Selina Islam and granddaughter Zahiya Rahman at her Gulshan residence on Sunday.  Selina will go to Khaleda’s house bringing traditional food items at noon on Eid, while senior BNP  leaders, including secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will exchange greetings with her in the evening. Talking to UNB, Selina said her sister is still sick and remains under the observation of doctors.  Also read: Khaleda returns home from hospital “So, we can’t always meet her directly any time we desire. As tomorrow (Sunday) is Eid, I will go to her house and spend the day with her,” she said. Selina said Khaleda’s granddaughter Zahia, the younger daughter of late Arafat Rahman Koko, will also spend the Eid day with her. She said some other close relatives, including her younger brother Shamim Eskandar's wife Nasrin Eskandar and mothers-in-law of her two sons, are also likely to meet the BNP chief. Thrice-former prime minister Khaleda, 76, has long been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, heart, kidney, lung and eye problems. Also read: Khaleda to return home from hospital today She returned home after a 14-day stay in the capital's Evercare Hospital on June 24. The hospital visit was prompted by a mild heart attack, that led to doctors inserting an artificial ring, or stent, in one of her arteries where it had 95% blockage.  Two more blockages were found in the arteries of the BNP chairperson through a coronary angiogram, which may require stenting later.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is going to return home today (Friday) from the capital’s Evercare Hospital after treatment for 13 days for her various health complications, including cardiac ones. “The medical board at the Evercare is thinking of releasing Madam (Khaleda) from the hospital as the Covid cases are growing fast, said the BNP chief’s personal doctor AZM Zahid Hossain. Read:Khaleda gets permanent bail in defamation cases He said the doctors will ensure her proper treatment at her home. “Hopefully, Madam will be discharged from the hospital by the afternoon,” Zahid said. He said the medical board at the hospital for Khaleda’s treatment will inform the media about her health condition at a press conference at 3pm today. Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital on June 10 as she suddenly fell ill. Doctors said she suffered a heart attack due to 95 percent blockage in her left artery and a stent has been placed there by removing the blockage.” Two more blockages were found in the arteries of the BNP chairperson through a coronary angiogram. Read: Khaleda has two more blockages in arteries; kept under 72-hrs observation 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.

A ring (stent) has been placed in the artery of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia after she suffered a mild heart attack, said party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday. “Doctors performed an angiogram on Khaleda Zia and found 99 percent blockage in her main coronary artery. They then successfully placed a ring there by removing the blockage,” he said. Fakhrul came up with the information at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office. Earlier at an emergency meeting, he said the medical board formed for ensuring treatment of Khaleda at Evercare Hospital decided to perform the angiogram as she suffered a mild heart attack. He said the BNP chief was suffering from suffocation and breathing problems following the heart attack. Doctors hoped that she will get temporary relief from the heart problems as the ring has been installed, the BNP leader said. Also Read: Khaleda must follow legal process for treatment abroad, says Home Minister Stating that Khaleda’s life will be at stake if she cannot receive advanced treatment, he renewed their party’s call for allowing the BNP chief to go abroad to save her life. Fakhrul hoped that good sense would prevail upon the government this time to allow Khaleda to go abroad for advanced treatment. “Otherwise, they will be held responsible if anything bad happens to her.” In response to a question, Fakhrul said Khaleda has a heart disease which is threatening her life. “Physicians now have been able to provide a temporary solution to the problem. But it is not possible to treat her other diseases in the country. She needs to be treated in an advanced center outside the country. ” As in the past, he said the medical board today (Saturday) suggested sending the BNP Chief abroad for advanced treatment. Asked what steps BNP would take to send the BNP chairperson abroad, he said they are again urging the government to allow her to go abroad. “No decision has been taken yet by our party in this regard. Of course, we will do it." Fakhrul said it is the demand of the people of Bangladesh that Begum Khaleda Zia be sent abroad to save her life. Earlier, Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital in the early hours of Saturday as she suddenly fell ill. Also read: Medical board reviewing Khaleda’s health condition "Madam (Khaleda) suddenly fell ill at her Gulshan home. We rushed her to Evercare Hospital," Khaleda's physician Professor AZM Zahid Hossain told UNB. The BNP chief was taken to the coronary care unit (CCU) of the hospital at 3:20am, he added. The BNP chief left her Gulshan residence for the hospital at 2:55amand was admitted there at 3:15am, said her media wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan. Hearing the news of Khaleda's illness, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir rushed to her Gulshan residence and later went to the hospital. Coming out of the hospital around 4:30am, Fakhrul said after some primary tests, the doctors found that she has cardiac problems. "Madam's condition is stable now. How complicated her problem is can be confirmed after she undergoes different tests, especially an angiogram," he said. He hoped that Khaleda would recover as she did in the past. The BNP leader urged the country’s people to pray for her speedy recovery. It is for the fifth time the BNP was admitted to the hospital since she was infected with Covid-19 in April 2021. The BNP chairperson last went to Evercare on April 6 for health check-ups Khaleda, a former prime minister, has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye problems. The 76-year-old was last admitted to Evercare on November 13 last year where she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. Also read: Khaleda suffers heart attack: Medical board On February 1, Khaleda returned home after an 81-day stay at the hospital as she was suffering from internal bleeding caused by liver cirrhosis. The former prime minister 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 Covid-19 pandemic, the government temporarily freed Khaleda from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with conditions that she will stay at her Gulshan home and not leave the country.  

Dhaka, Apr 16 (UNB) – BNP standing committee members have hailed the US State Department's report on Bangladesh’s human rights practices as they think it has exposed the  genuine scenario of the country’s  judiciary, elections and the human rights situation. The BNP policymakers at their meeting on Friday also viewed that the allegations of serious violation of human rights by the current ‘fascist’ regime and making opposition leaders and activists disappear and killing and torturing them by law enforcers have been established as truth internationally through the US report, said party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul. Speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, he said, “The US sanctions on the RAB and its seven (former and current) officials established that truth further.” Read: BNP urges judiciary to work impartially, independently Earlier on Tuesday night, The US State Department released the 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, an annual report. The reports also highlighted the rights issues, including harsh and life-threatening prison conditions, arbitrary arrests or detentions, political prisoners, serious problems with the independence of the judiciary and arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy. Fakhrul said their standing committee meeting thinks the US report revealed the real truth regarding the extrajudicial killings, deaths in custody as a result of brutal torture by law enforcement agencies, the arrest of protesters' parents, siblings, influencing the judicial process, especially sentencing Begum Khaleda Zia in a ‘false’ case and sending her to jail due to political influence. “It has been now proved that this unelected and immoral Awami League government wants to hang onto power unjustly by using the state machinery,” he said. The BNP leader said the US report also described the 2018 election in Bangladesh as a farce since it was marred by massive rigging, terrorism and stuffing of ballots at the night before the voting, intimidating voters and preventing them from coming to the polling stations. He said the US report also suggests that free, fair and participatory elections are never possible under the ‘unelected’ Awami government. Read: Opposition being deprived of justice: BNP Fakhrul said their meeting voiced concern over a report of Transparency International Bangladesh on irregularities of Tk 23,000 crore in procuring vaccines and tackling the Covid situation. He said the meeting also expressed worries as a US court dismissed a Bangladesh Bank case against a Philippines business entity, which was accused in the unprecedented cyber-heist faced by the central bank six years ago. The BNP leader said they think the case was filed with the US court to hush the money heist incident.

A Dhaka court on Tuesday fixed May 24 for hearing on charge framing in the Niko graft case filed against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and 10 others. Judge of Dhaka Special Court-9 Sheikh Hafizur Rahman fixed the fresh date following a time petition filed by Khaleda’s lawyer. Also read: Niko graft case: Charge framing hearing deferred to April 12 The time petition was filed as Khaleda Zia couldn’t appear before the court due to her illness, said Helal Uddin, a counsel of Khaleda Zia. Earlier on March 8, the court deferred the hearing on charge framing in the case to April 12 (today). 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 to not place Bangladesh's national interest above all other considerations, and swayed by graft. Also read: Hearing on Niko case charge framing Mar 18 The anti-graft body pressed charges in court against 11 people, including Khaleda, in May 2008. The other accused in the case are BNP Standing Committee Member Barrister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister AKM Mosharraf Hossain, former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddique, Khandaker Shahidul Islam, CM Yusuf Hossain, former Bapex general manager Mir Mainul Haq, its former secretary Shafiur Rahman, Giasuddin Al Mamun, former parliamentarian MAH Selim and former vice-president of South-Asia affairs Niko Kashem Sharif.