No scope to allow Khaleda's treatment abroad: Law Minister

Law Minister Anusul Huq has said there is no scope to allow BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for treatment.

He said: "Although the government has extended for six months its earlier order that suspended the jail sentence of Khaleda Zia, she does not have the opportunity to seek treatment abroad."

He said this on Wednesday responding to journalists at the secretariat on Wednesday.

The minister said: "As the application contained in sub-section 1 of Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure has been disposed of, there is no further action to be taken only without extension. I am sending the file to the Ministry of Home Affairs recommending an extension."

"She is out of jail on the executive orders of the head of government for humanitarian reasons," he added.

Asked whether there is any opportunity to send her abroad on the same ground, the law minister told the mediapersons: "Whatever has to be done has to be done through the law. There is no opportunity (to go abroad) in the law by which she is out of jail.”

Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has been under treatment for various health complications, including arthritis.

Her medical board members say Khaleda needs to go abroad immediately for better treatment being diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.

On behalf of her family, Khaleda's younger brother, Shamim Iskander, submitted an application to the home ministry urging the government to allow her to go abroad for better treatment.

The home ministry sent the application to the law ministry, seeking its opinion on the matter.

Law Minister Anisul Huq recently said the government is looking for a legal option to allow Khaleda to go abroad for treatment.

The BNP chief landed in jail in February 2018 for the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. On October 30 that year, the High Court extended her punishment to 10 years, dismissing her appeal.

Following the outbreak of Covid-19, the government on March 25, 2020 granted her temporary release conditionally at the request of her family. Till now, the term of her release has been extended several times.