Former Bangladeshi PM not allowed to go abroad for healthcare

DHAKA: Bangladesh has prohibited former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, a prominent opposition leader and two-time former premier, from seeking essential medical treatment abroad.

The decision, attributed to the terms of her effective house arrest, has drawn criticism from her party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which views it as an act of political retribution.

Bangladesh is on the brink of general elections, prompting concerns from various Western governments and human rights organizations about the country’s political climate, characterized by the ruling party’s dominance over the legislature.

Zia and her longstanding rival, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, have wielded significant influence over Bangladesh’s politics for more than four decades. In 2008, Zia was sentenced to 17 years in prison on corruption charges but was later released under house arrest. She has consistently maintained that the charges against her are politically motivated.

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Zia has been hospitalized since early August, suffering from advanced liver cirrhosis, respiratory problems, diabetes, heart issues, rheumatoid arthritis, and knee problems, according to her doctor. Her family had previously appealed to the government to permit her to travel abroad for medical treatment.

However, Minister for Law Anisul Huq announced the rejection of the plea, citing the executive order for her release from prison, which prohibited her from participating in politics and seeking medical care abroad.

He emphasized that the application cannot be reconsidered unless the existing executive order is canceled, necessitating Zia’s return to prison before any new directive can be issued to allow her to travel abroad.

The BNP and its allies have organized a series of protests, demanding Hasina’s resignation and the establishment of a caretaker government to oversee the elections. Yousuf Ali, a supporter of Zia and a British-trained barrister practicing in Dhaka and London, contended that Huq’s order was issued to support Hasina’s political vendetta and asserted that there were no legal obstacles preventing Zia from traveling abroad for medical care.