Bangladesh News

Detained former premier Khaleda Zia yesterday reiterated her resolve to seek treatment in the country instead of going abroad.

“I told you earlier that I will not go abroad. I will receive treatment in the country as there are many good doctors here,” BNP Chairperson Khaleda told journalists yesterday at a special court after the trial proceedings of Gatco corruption case against her and 23 others including her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko.

Asked if there is any pressure on her regarding sending her sons abroad for treatment, Khaleda said, “I don’t accept any condition.”

She was produced in Special Court 3 on the parliament building premises in the capital at 10:50am amid tight security.

Blaming the government for worsening health conditions of her detained sons Tarique Rahaman and Koko, she said it is the duty of the government to send them abroad for proper treatment.

“My sons were completely well when they first appeared in court. You can see for yourself the condition they are in now. The government is responsible for their deteriorated condition and that is why it must take the responsibility of their treatment,” she said.

“Their treatment is not possible in the country, and if it is possible then why their condition is deteriorating. The government should immediately send my sons abroad for treatment,” she added.

Renewing her call for lifting the state of emergency and for holding the parliamentary election immediately, she said, “We want an election, not a selection. The selection process that is going on in the name of election must stop immediately.”

Khaleda said a free, fair, neutral, and credible election must be held with participation of all political parties, while stressing that an election should never be held under the state of emergency.

She also said, “We will accept whoever comes to power through public voting, but the election must be held in a free, fair, neutral and credible manner.”

The BNP chairperson also said, “Prices of daily essentials have multiplied after the announcement of the budget. A famine like situation is prevailing in the country…..People are starving and I can’t go anywhere leaving the people in distress,” adding that it is the duty of politicians to save the country from ruin.

She said withdrawal of the state of emergency and holding of the election are a must for rescuing the country from the prevailing predicament.

Referring to the 20 percent dearness allowance proposed in the budget for government employees, she said that will not help them.

“What will happen to the labourers and other general people,” she questioned.

“The people were told to eat potatoes but what is the price of potato now? The price will go up further,” she quipped.

The former premier said the caretaker government must ensure equal application of law for all. “If the government is neutral then it must treat all equally,” adding that it is not acceptable that some will get the opportunity to go abroad for treatment while some others will not. “The law should be the same for all,” she stressed.

Demanding permission for her sons’ treatment abroad Khaleda said, “Tarique and Koko are not insignificant persons, they are sons of a former president and I was the prime minister of the country thrice.”

Asked whether she will go to her house or to a hospital after being released, she replied, “Let me be released first, then I will decide.”

Earlier, Judge Shahed Noor Uddin scheduled June 24 for the next hearing on charge framing in the Gatco graft case as defence counsels pointed out that the Appellate Division of Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday issued an order adjourning the hearing of the Anti-corruption Commission’s (ACC) petition against an earlier High Court ruling that had granted bail for Khaleda and Koko in the case while staying the case’s proceedings.

As the court went in session at 10:53am, the defence counsels filed a petition seeking a stay order on the case at least for a month in line with the directive of the Appellate Division.

The prosecution opposed, saying the hearing on charge framing can be started as the defence did not submit the copy of the Appellate Division order.

The court asked the defence to submit the order on June 24.

Koko’s counsel told the court that according to his medical reports he is suffering from critical ailments and no improvement has been noticed despite treatment.

They also said Koko’s treatment is not possible in Bangladesh, so the court should allow him to go abroad for treatment.

The prosecution said they have no objection about Koko’s treatment abroad, and the defence may submit a petition seeking his exemption from being required to be present during trial proceedings.

KOKO IN COURT
Koko was brought to the court from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in an ambulance. He entered the courtroom at 10:52am in a wheelchair and stayed there for only seven minutes. Clad in a blue t-shirt and white pants, Koko was wheeled in next to the dock. During his presence in the court, he was seen trembling.

Seeing Koko, his mother Khaleda stepped down from the dock and hugged him, while whispering something into his ear.

MANNAN BHUIYAN IGNORED
Like in previous court appearances, former BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan also a leader of the so-called reformist faction of the party was again blatantly ignored yesterday by Khaleda, while she talked to her other co-defendant party colleagues in the dock. Bhuiyan however shook hands with the secretary general of Khaleda loyalist faction of BNP, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, and exchanged greetings.

DELWAR AT NEWS BRIEF
Talking to reporters, Delwar, who is also a lawyer of Khaleda, said his client told them that she will seek treatment at home while demanding that her sons be sent abroad for treatment.

He alleged that Tarique and Koko were brutally tortured in detention, for which the government must take responsibility.

It is not fair to use Khaleda Zia’s sons as hostages for bargaining with her over her release, he added.

Seventeen accused including Khaleda, Koko, former LGRD minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former health minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, former agriculture minister MK Anwar, former land minister M Shamsul Islam, Jamaat-e-Islami ameer also former industries minister Motiur Rahman Nizami, and former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain were produced before the court yesterday.

The ACC filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on September 2 last year against 13 including Khaleda and Koko for graft in awarding a company Gatco the contract for container handling at depots in Dhaka and Chittagong. Later during investigation 11 others were found to be culpable, who were indicted on May 13 this year.