Bangladesh News

The caretaker government would consider sending detained Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia abroad for better treatment if it received formal proposals from their parties.

Both the parties however decided not to make any proposal to the government in order to send their leaders abroad.

“I received no such proposals. The legal aspects of such proposals would be examined once we receive them,” Law and Information Adviser Mainul Hosein told reporters at his office yesterday.

Asked about how the government would send the two former premiers abroad when they are detained and under trial, the law adviser said, “There are many options including bail and release on parole.”

Hasina’s personal physicians, pro-Awami League doctors, lawyers and cultural activists already demanded that the caretaker government sends Hasina abroad for better treatment.

Asked if the Awami League would send the proposal to the caretaker government, the party’s acting President Zillur Rahman said they would not send any formal proposal as the government earlier said that there is no rule to send detainees abroad for treatment.

He, however, said, “It is the party chief’s decision whether she wants to go abroad for treatment. If she wants to go then we will support it,” Zillur told reporters at his Gulshan home adding that they would talk to Hasina in this regard soon.

The BNP, however, termed the law adviser’s comments “a reflection of the government’s previous plan to send the two leaders on exile”.

“We have not heard that Khaleda Zia is seriously sick,” said Rizvi Ahmed, acting office secretary of BNP. He said if such situation arises, her physicians and family members would decide whether to send her abroad.

Awami League insiders, however, termed the issue of sending Hasina abroad “a political matter”. “There certainly is a government move to send her [Hasina] abroad using ‘better treatment’ as an excuse,” a senior Awami League leader told The Daily Star preferring not to be named.

Sources said the party chief herself wants to go abroad instead of being detained in jail. The sources, however, said, “If she is sent abroad, it could be part of the government’s plan to send the two party chiefs on exile.”

Asked about the government’s stance on Awami League’s call to initiate dialogues between the government and political parties, except Jamaat-e-Islami, to resolve the current political situation, Mainul said, “It is the chief adviser who can answer this.”

Awami League’s presidium members will sit today to discuss sending Hasina abroad for better treatment, dialogue with the government and observing Hasina’s Homecoming Day among other issues.