Shawdesh desk:

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, convicted in the Zia Charitable Trust case, has not given her consent to ‘advanced treatment’, recommended by the medical board of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

This was revealed in a report on imprisoned BNP chief’s medical treatment, submitted by the BSMMU authorities with the High Court.

Earlier on Wednesday, the university authorities submitted the report to the HC as per its earlier order.

Supreme Court Registrar General placed the medical report before the HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq this morning.

The HC bench is scheduled to deliver its order this afternoon (Thursday afternoon) on a bail petition filed by the BNP Chairperson in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case. The bench fixed the time after reading out the health report of the former prime minister.

During the hearing, Justice Obaidul Hasan read out the medical report saying that Khaleda Zia did not give her consent to ‘advanced treatment’ at BSMMU.

According to the report, Khaleda has been suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and arthritis but these are under control. Now she is suffering from back pain but Khaleda did not allow medical board to provide advanced treatment.

Besides, Khaleda’s lawyers had sought time till Sunday to know why she did not allow medical board to give her advanced treatment.

On February 23, the HC bench asked BSMMU vice-chancellor to submit a report on the BNP chairperson’s health and fixed February 27 for the hearing on the bail petition.

On February 19, the BNP chief filed a fresh petition for bail with the High Court, citing illness.

It was mentioned in the petition that the BNP chairperson is seriously ill and she needs advanced treatment. “Khaleda is not getting proper treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). She wants to go to London for better treatment if she gets bail,” according to the petition.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda has been in jail since February 8, 2018 after she was convicted in two corruption cases, including Zia Charitable Trust case.

On December 12, 2019, the Appellate Division turned down her appeal for bail in the graft case.

A special court jailed the BNP chief and three others for seven years in the corruption case on October 29, 2018.

On August 8, 2011, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Zia Charitable Trust case with Tejgaon police against four people, including Khaleda. They were accused of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.