The prison authorities have started making necessary arrangement for imprisoned BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s medical care.
The High Court (HC) issued an order on Thursday (Sept 4), to shift Khaleda to Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital and gave her permission to avail treatment from doctors of her preference.
“We have received the court’s order at 12am on Thursday and we will act accordingly,” Iqbal Kabir Chowdhury, Senior Jail Superintendent of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj told Bangla Tribune.
“The arrangements will be done soon,” he added.
The jail super, however, declined to comment on when she will be taken to the hospital saying “We cannot reveal that yet.”
Expressing concerns over Khaleda’s health, the BNP leaders have voiced their disappointment that the court’s order has not yet been carried out.
Claiming that they were still in the dark about the medical arrangements, Abdul Satter, Khaleda Zia’s personal secretary said, “We are trying to contact the jail authorities and find out the details.”
His claims were echoed by Dr Abdul Quddus, personal physician of the BNP chief who said “I have been her eye specialist for a long time and even though the court has ordered her personal doctors to see her, neither the prison authorities nor the BNP authorities have contacted me yet.”
However, Kaleda’s legal counsel Mahbub Uddin Khokon who is seemingly privy to the matter said “We’ve learned arrangements for her treatment have begun.”
A petition was filed with the HC, to grant private medical care to the incarcerated chief on Sept 9.
A BNP delegation led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also met with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan regarding the matter.
Soon after the meeting, BSMMU Hospital authorities formed a medical board for Khaleda as per the government’s instruction.
A three-time premier, Khaleda Zia is now serving a five-year term at the capital’s old jailhouse after she was convicted of embezzling foreign donations made to the Zia Orphanage Trust.