Why govt not be asked to produce Khaleda in court

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The High Court (HC) yesterday issued a rule on the government to explain within five days why the court will not direct the government to produce former prime minister Khaleda Zia before the court to prove that she is not confined to her house.

The rule came hard on the heels of the former premier’s reported readiness to go into exile anytime under government pressure.

A High Court bench issued the directive that underlines growing concern over the condition of Khaleda who ruled the country for 10 years in two terms.

Additional Attorney General Salahuddin Ahmed who stood for the state informed the HC that the government did not issue any order for house arrest or confinement of Khaleda Zia to her residence. He also said that there is no restriction on her movement and she had met with her eldest son Tarique Rahman on Saturday.

“The law will take its own course if she [Khaleda] is forced out of the country,” the court told the additional attorney general.

The HC bench however turned down an appeal seeking the court’s injunction on forcing Khaleda out of the country and directive to allow her to move freely. The court also rejected an appeal for producing the BNP chairperson before the court.

Khondker Babul Chowdhury, a member of the BNP national executive committee, filed the appeal on April 19, urging the court to order the government not to send Khaleda abroad against her wish and challenging the reported confinement of Khaleda to her house.

Following the petition the court ordered the government to inform it about the present state of former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, including whether she is confined or not on April 22.

As the hearing resumed yesterday morning, Salahuddin told the court that Khaleda had not been put under house arrest, but the court did not accept his verbal explanation and asked him to turn in a written explanation at 2:00pm.

He also told the court that the petitioner is an unexpected stranger and he has no right to file the petition.

The court then told him that the petitioner alleged that Khaleda was not allowed to receive visitors and her telephone connections were cut off. She was not allowed to visit the national mausoleum on March 26 and participate in the kulkhwani of BNP standing committee member Obaidur Rahman.

The court has the jurisdiction to examine if such allegations are brought to its notice, the court said. At that time the court wanted to know the government’s statement on the matter from the additional attorney general.

The court also asked Salahuddin whether he could say taking an oath that the former prime minister is allowed to move freely and no pressure is being created on her to leave the country. In reply, Salahuddin said he would inform the court of the matter after inquiring into it.

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