No politics behind denying permission for Khaleda treatment abroad: Law Minister

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Wednesday said there was no politics in not letting BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia go abroad for treatment.

"It‍‍`s a legal matter, there‍‍`s no question of politics here. Her (Khaleda Zia‍‍`s) family had filed an application, which has been disposed of. It was not in the law that she will be allowed to go abroad through this application. There was already a condition that she cannot go abroad, now there is no chance of changing it,” he said.

The law minister said these at a press conference at the Secretariat.

“BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir presented false, baseless and misleading information over the matter at a press conference,” he alleged.

Asked whether there is any scope to change Khaleda Zia‍‍`s conditional release, the law minister said if the condition is given, it should be obeyed. “I think the prime minister has done whatever is possible through exercising her power, there is no scope to use the power again.”

Replying to another question the law minister said if anyone seeks prudential clemency, he/she has to confess the guilt. “. It is a constitutional right that anyone can appeal to the president.”

On October 1, the Law Ministry rejected an application of Khaleda Zia’s family seeking permission for sending her abroad for treatment.

On September 18, the government once again extended the suspension of Khaleda Zia’s jail term by another six months.

The 78-year-old former prime minister has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.