No legal scope for Khaleda to go abroad: Law Minister

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said there is no legal scope in the present situation to allow ailing BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for medical treatment.

“There’s no scope in the law. They can rebuke me as much as they wish but it doesn’t matter to me… I’ll follow the law,” he said.

The law minister made the remark as a demand was placed by BNP MP Gulam Mohammad Siraj (Bogura-6) in Parliament on point-of-order for allowing Khaleda Zia to go abroad for medical treatment.

Pointing at Khaleda Zia, Anisul Huq said a convicted person was released suspending her sentence as per section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC) but there is no provision to reconsider an already disposed appeal in the section.

The minister said Khaleda Zia is getting treatment properly as per their statements. “It is up to them whether they’re happy or not with the treatment,” he added.

He said the BNP leaders argued that Khaleda Zia can be released for receiving treatment abroad on humanitarian grounds and raised some previous instances in this regard saying that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was allowed to go abroad in 2007-2008 despite having lawsuits against her. “But it’s not true as the Prime Minister (Sheikh Hasina) has never been convicted in any case,” he added.

Annisul said the BNP leaders also said ASM Abdur Rab was sent to Germany from jail for treatment. “But I don’t know the section which was followed to send him abroad as it was done during the martial law period. The martial laws don’t go with the CrPC provision,” he added.

“So, today where there’s rule of law, I can’t do whatever I wish,” he said, adding that the BNP leaders come up with the same arguments again and again.

Earlier, BNP MP Gulam Mohammad Siraj demanded the Prime Minister send ailing Khaleda Zia abroad, granting her bail within a day or two. “Otherwise, Awami League will have to shoulder its responsibility for ever, if anything happens,” he said.

Noting that six MPs from BNP added to the beauty of this Parliament, the BNP lawmaker said: “So, don’t disdain the beauty of Parliament. If the condition of madam (Khaleda Zia) worsens, it might not be possible for us to stay in Parliament due to the party’s decision.”

However, the treasury bench lawmakers protested the remarks of Gulam Mohammad Siraj.