There is an urgent appeal to save the life of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister and leader of the largest opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson, Begum Khaleda Zia.
Begum Zia never lost any elections while she contested and is an immensely popular and loving leader of the country. She now requires urgent medical treatment not available in Bangladesh, but the ruling regime is preventing her from traveling abroad for her life-saving treatment.
Begum Khaleda Zia has been evidently the most popular political leader and crowd-puller of Bangladesh in recent years. She has fallen a victim of the fascist regime which has bitterly been exposed to the world for its immersive corruption, high handedness against the country’s national interests.
Keeping Khaleda Zia imprisoned is clearly a political collusion to stop any uprising against the present despotic and thoroughly unscrupulous corrupt regime of Sheikh Hasina (considered to be a stooge serving others). It is to handicap an upsurge against this misrule which terrorizes the whole nation, its freedom of speech, and the right to protest on the streets. Nonetheless, the story has changed lately after the US sanction and the execution of the visa restriction policy of the US State Department. Things have eased drastically, police atrocities with Chhatra League (the student wing of the ruling party) cadres have sidelined remarkably, the pressure from the West under US initiatives cleared the path for the for the opposition parties to have public gatherings without much ado where historic assemblages were witnessed, sending the clear message from the people of the country that they are totally at the edge and want a people’s government which will look after their welfare, not serve foreign powers just to continue the regime.
The regime has by now politicized every sector of the country placing its party cadres in important positions including the Judiciary, and there being allegations of recuperating foreign citizens to embolden power. The regime manipulates and controls all executive bodies plus the Judiciary, letting corruption loom large. Global human rights organizations are beyond vocal against the regime’s violations of human rights, the duplicity, extra judicial killings, enforced disappearances, death through torture in prison or in the torture cells. The regime also targets human rights defenders who may pose a threat with any revelations. It does not even spare personalities like Nobel laureate Dr Yunus, perhaps finding him a contender for the highest office, despite his reputation and respect.
Begum Khaleda Zia had been imprisoned and punished under a typically fake and politically motivated case of misappropriation of funds which were donated for an orphanage under her name, Khaleda Orphanage. Whereas the fact, which is twisted greatly for clear political vindication, is that the actual fund had been deposited into an account where it has quadrupled (multiplied with interests), languishing manifestly on record in the cognitive bank account till now. With that there are other cases added to her credit. It is allegedly out of vendetta against the entrant of the sitting PM. Actually, the Hasina regime has listed 36 cases filed against Begum Khaleda Zia. She had been imprisoned on February 8, 2018, under the pretext of the Zia Orphanage Trust Graft case. Another 35 cases filed charges against her, among them are arson and sedition cases, all of which are clearly politically motivated, not to mention.
Some of the cases were filed long before during the time of the interim government, commonly known as the 1/11 government. It is said that they were pursuing a policy of the West widely identified as the “minus two policy”.
It had been evident to an extent, and alleged by Begum Khaleda Zia’s personal doctors, that she may have been poisoned while she was in the prison by the government-assigned doctors. That would explain why her health has deteriorated in no time to an alarming state lately.
Doctors suggest that her liver, particularly, reached a crucial stage in an unusually short span of time that presently requires advanced treatment, which Bangladesh cannot provide. She must travel abroad urgently to avail the advanced treatment of a liver transplant, for which she requires government clearance/permission. This could have been legally possible had the Judiciary in Bangladesh been independent and fair.
Contrarily, existing patients include many in the recent years of other political prisoners in comparatively lesser critical conditions. They were allowed to travel for treatment abroad. Besides the fact that going abroad for treatment for the slightest health problems, even if they go for simple checkups, is quite a commonality among the elites and politicians of the country. In other words, this means there is no faith in the medical facilities or treatment provided in Bangladesh, which is apparently inadequately maintained. Depending on their reach, Bangladeshis go to Singapore, Thailand, or India, or they go to the West for treatment within their options.
Begum Zia’s condition is abysmally critical, she needs advanced treatment and the best doctors in the country have already given up and are recommending sending her abroad.
Instead of showing any empathy or support, the sitting Prime Minister is retorting to doctors’ advice or appeal from party or people, openly stating that at Begum Zia’s age, it is her time to pass away and crying over her condition will not help. Sheikh Hasina has literally refused her travel for treatment, saying she is getting the best treatment in the country. What a shame! Who can give a sense of right or wrong to her? The erosive behavior despite her position in the highest abode makes Sheikh Hasina emerge as a fascist although she had been labeled “wrong-headed” by the highest court of the country, not once, from her past record.
Sheikh Hasina’s public words of cruelty and smell of personal vendetta expressed through her denial to allow Begum Zia travel abroad could add another factor- that the secret of slowly poisoning Begum Zia, during her imprisonment may be divulged. In a similar case, H M Ershad, former President of Bangladesh, was poisoned and this was detected by doctors in Singapore when he was there in his last days for treatment. This is on record.
Perhaps Sheikh Hasina has no accountability to the people or the country because she has learnt to keep power historically without being elected for three consecutive terms with the aid of the powerful neighbor at the cost of the country’s interests.
For the last two years the government of the country denied Begum Khaleda Zia her right to the required lifesaving treatment that she must avail urgently.
It is an appeal to put in any endeavors to support the people of Bangladesh, by saving their leader through pressure or otherwise known ways from each of our individual positions on the government of Bangladesh to let Begum Khaleda Zia avail the lifesaving treatment not available in Bangladesh.
We pray and remain in anticipation of hope.
*The writer is a journalist, columnist, human rights campaigner and politician.
October 13, 2023
The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and editorial policies of Aequitas Review.
