Permission to send Khaleda abroad for treatment denied

The law ministry has given its opinion denying permission to send BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia abroad for treatment.

In reply to a query of reporters at his ministry office on Sunday (October 1) afternoon, Law Minister Anisul Huq said, “BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s brother applied to the Home Ministry for her permanent release and treatment abroad. The Home Ministry sought opinion of the Law Ministry on the matter. We gave opinion today.”

As per Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, he said there is no scope to open the petition, which has already been disposed of.

The law minister said once a petition under Section 401 of Code of Criminal Procedure is disposed of, there is no scope in law to reconsider the disposed petition.

“We have sent our opinion to the Ministry of Home Affairs by explaining the sub-sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. We have given opinion that the petition disposed under Section 401 is a past and closed transaction. There is no other chance to open it,” he said. 

Anisul Huq said considering the petition of Khaleda’s family submitted in March 2020, the government issued an executive order suspending her jail sentence under Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and released her for six months on condition.

According to the conditions, Khaleda Zia has to receive treatment at her residence and cannot go abroad and therefore, there was no way to allow her to go abroad. However, her release period was extended for eight times, he said.

On September 25, Khaleda Zia’s younger brother Shamim Iskandar applied to the Ministry of Home Affairs for Khaleda Zia’s permanent release and allowing her to go abroad for treatment.