Khaleda can seek permission to go abroad returning jail: Anisul

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia can appeal for permission to go abroad by returning to jail, said Law Minister Anisul Huq.

The minister came up with the remark while talking to the media at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the capital on Wednesday.

“The application Khaleda Zia’s family filed has been dismissed in line with section 401 of criminal penal code. If they wants to take her abroad, they have to appeal afresh,” the law minister furthered. 

On Tuesday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, the law ministry sent its opinion mentioning that there is no legal scope for Khaleda Zia to go abroad.

Earlier, the law minister said, his ministry sent opinion to home regarding the application filed by Khaleda Zia’s younger brother seeking permission to take her abroad for advanced treatment.

The 76-year-old former prime minister is now admitted to Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital. She is out of jail through a government executive order that suspended her sentence in a graft case.

Her family filed an application on November 11 to allow her to travel abroad for treatment, but the government said that she must return to jail first to apply for permission.

The law minister said earlier since Khaleda has been temporarily released on parole, there is no provision in the law to allow her to travel abroad now. If she goes back to jail and re-applies, the government may consider it.

BNP leaders and pro-BNP lawyers, however, say the government can easily grant Khaleda the permission if it wants under Section 401 of the CrPC but is refusing to do so.

The BNP chief’s medical board members on November 28 said she immediately needs to go abroad for better treatment as she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.