Admit Khaleda Zia to BSMMU immediately: HC
Court orders medical
board reconstitution
STAFF REPORTER
The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the government, jail authorities and the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) to reconstitute the medical board for providing treatment to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and admit her to the BSMMU immediately. In response to a writ petition, the HC bench asked the government to form a fresh five-member medical board, keeping three neutral doctors to examine Khaleda Zias health condition and to commence her treatment. The five-member medical board will be led by Dr Abdul Jalil Chowdhury and Dr Badrunnesa Ahmed.
The HC bench directed the authorities concerned to drop three members of the present medical board Md Harisul Huq, professor of cardiology at BSMMU, Abu Zaffar Chowdhury, professor of orthopaedics, and Tariq Reza Ali, associate professor of ophthalmologybecause of their involvement with the ruling-party-backed Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad.
It also ordered the induction
three new members having no political affiliation.
The court asked the medical board to
begin Khaledas treatment immediately by admitting her to the hospital. It also asked the authorities to allow a gynaecologist, a physiotherapist and technicians and physicians of her choice to attend to her alongside the medical board.
The HC also asked the board to provide treatment to Khaleda by following the standard procedure, upholding her dignity as a former prime minister.
Regarding the allowing of visitors, the HC bench instructed the authorities to follow the jail code.
The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik Al Jalil gave the directives after disposing of a writ petition filed by Khaleda Zia seeking treatment at a specialised hospital of her choice. On September 9, Khaleda filed the writ petition on health grounds as she is suffering from various ailments. In her petition, she prayed for admission to a specialised hospital.
During the hearing on the petition, advocate AJ Mohammad Ali, counsel for the BNP chief, told the court that the government had formed the medical board with doctors affiliated with Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad, a pro-Awami League doctors forum, for Khaleda Zias treatment. Khaleda Zia may not get fair treatment from this medical board, he argued.
He appealed to the HC to direct the government to send Khaleda Zia to the specialised United Hospital as per her choice.
Opposing his submission, attorney general Mahbubey Alam told the court that the jail authorities have taken steps to provide necessary treatment to Khaleda Zia.
After the HC order, advocate Zainul Abedin, one of the counsels for the BNP chief, said that three of the doctors would appointed be as per Khaledas choice and the two others will be neutral physicians in the five-member medical board.
The government, on September 13, had formed a medical team, led by Prof Abdul Jalil Chowdhury, to examine Khaledas health condition.
On February 8, Khaleda Zia was sentenced to five years in prison for embezzling donations made to the Zia Orphanage Trust. Since then, she has been kept at the Old Dhaka central jail.
Former attorney general AJ Mohammad Ali, Supreme Court Bar Association president Zainul Abedin, and lawyer Kayser Kamal stood for Khaleda, while attorney general Mahbubey Alam represented the state.
