Discussions have been going on for a long time regarding the treatment of ill BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia abroad. During the former Awami League government, she was not allowed to go abroad on the pretext of legal complications. At that time, she was convicted by the court, and the former government sought to repeatedly raise legal restrictions on the convicted. The discussion at that time was more political than legal. Awami League has stood in the way of Begum Khaleda Zia's medical treatment for the sake of law - it was politics as well as Awami League's politics of not allowing her to go abroad by bringing the law before her.
Now Begum Khaleda Zia is free. President Md. Sahabuddin commuted her sentence under constitutional authority. Two cases filed during the military-backed 1/11 government. In continuation of 1/11 Awami League when succeeded, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was sentenced to five years in prison in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. In October of that year, the sentence was increased to 10 years after the appeal hearing in the High Court. After that, the BNP Chairperson was sentenced to another seven years in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. Although sentenced by the court, she did not have to stay in prison for the last few years. Following the request of the family, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave the opportunity to serve the sentence at her home and that too through legal process. The day after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, President Md. Sahabuddin commuted former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's sentence under Article 49 of the Constitution. He exerciseed this constitutional power when all the parties request the President in a meeting with the President.
During the period of Awami League, BNP was politically cornered and burdened with mass cases and mass arrests. Any anti-government program was not tolerated. All talks about Khaleda Zia's advanced medical treatment abroad were rejected, and the law was invoked each time. Khaleda Zia's request for medical treatment abroad at that time and the government's rejection both helped BNP's politics.
Now free Khaleda Zia is free to do politics and go abroad for medical treatment. She can go to any country. However, during the anti-government movement during the period of Awami League government, BNP was active in her treatment abroad, now that activity has declined a lot. A month has passed since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, but there is still no clear message that Khaleda Zia is going abroad. Although there are some discussions about it, it does not seem that she is going abroad. Specialists in charge of her treatment now say that she is not yet fit to board a plane. But when the discussion was going on earlier, her physical condition was worse than now.
Although she is not fit, the news of her going abroad has been reported in several media including Barta24.com, The Samakal. Apart from this, there is more news that Sarah Catherine Cook, the UK High Commissioner assigned to Dhaka, went to Gulshan's residence and met Khaleda Zia. Sharmili Rahman Sinthi, wife of Khaleda Zia's late son Arafat Rahman Koko, arrived in Dhaka from London last Thursday. Many people think that this is an indication of Khaleda Zia going to the UK. BNP chairperson's personal physician and medical board coordinator professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain said, 'We are continuing discussions with some hospitals in the United States and the United Kingdom. There are other processes including hospital selection. Madam's condition is still not suitable for long air travel. It takes eight to 13 hours to take to the UK or 18 to 21 hours flying time to take to the USA. So physical fitness is very important for this journey. So it will take some time. Madam will have to stay abroad for a long time to undergo some complex treatment. Al-Mamun said, “She is not yet physically fit to travel by plane. It will take some more time. If you want to go to the United States or the United Kingdom, you will naturally have to spend a long time on the plane. We are thinking about these various issues. An air ambulance will be brought for her from outside the country. That is, Khaleda Zia has not decided to go abroad, but the process is ongoing.
Khaleda Zia has health risks. If necessary, she can go abroad, there is no objection here. But it can be assumed that she is not in the same physical condition as before. At least where earlier she had to do morning-afternoon home-hospital now she doesn't need it. In such a situation, there is a political risk in her emigration.
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government and her departure, the way the Interim government continues to suppress the Awami League, the way it tolerates mass prosecutions and mass arrests, and the way the party is being campaigned in the media, it is difficult for the Awami League to return to the political arena immediately. In such a situation, naturally one of the main parties of the country, BNP, is supposed to fill this void in politics, but there is a hint of a third party here. The controversial Jamaat-e-Islami appears to be getting the status of the king's party due to its role in the media and various parts of the government. Along with this, there is the presence of various religious groups. Awami League-BNP has run the country apart from one party, now there is an attempt to raise a voice that a new person is needed.
BNP is naturally happy that Awami League was ousted from power. Even if BNP is not directly involved in the multifaceted efforts to end the Awami League, it has tacit support. BNP in the field of politics without Awami League. Of course, the obvious, but there may be more to it, is reminiscent of recent political trends. The coverage of Jamaat is now more than BNP in the media, pictures of meetings of Jamaat leaders with the embassies of different countries are also coming forward, Jamaat is also going home with financial assistance to the victims of the movement. Discussion and criticism about them is more than BNP in most cases.
Begum Khaleda Zia is the main figure of BNP. Tariq Rahman served as acting chairman of the party in the absence of Khaleda Zia, but he was convicted in the August 21 grenade attack case. The cases filed against Tariq Rahman in different courts of the country were withdrawn regardless of Friday-Saturday, but the sentence was not waived. He has to come back to the country to get the sentence waived or to be released through legal process, but his passport was not renewed during the Awami League government. Even in a month of the Interim government, there is no news about Tariq Rahman's passport. As a result, his return to the country is still uncertain.
Although one case after another was withdrawn from the lower court, the original case and sentence of Tariq Rahman was not waived. While the President can waive his sentence under constitutional powers, it depends on the Interim government. But the way the government is going now, as easy as it is to think about, implementation doesn't seem that easy. As a result, if Begum Khaleda Zia goes abroad for treatment and Tariq Rahman is unable to return to the country, the BNP may face a lot of difficulties in a favorable political situation.
With the fall of the Awami League government and Sheikh Hasina leaving the country, politics has become 'minus-one'; If Khaleda Zia goes abroad for treatment, is that 'minus-two'? The government of one-eleven tried a lot and could not do 'minus-two' especially because Khaleda Zia did not leave the country; Sheikh Hasina also left the country at that time. As before, the 'minus-one' has already happened in politics; this time, Khaleda Zia will become "minus-two" when she goes abroad! Although Awami League ruled the country for a long time, it could not form an alternative leadership or showed interest; Although there is an alternative leadership in BNP through Tariq Rahman, he is out of the country due to legal obstacles. As a result, it would not be wise for Khaleda Zia to take the political risk of going abroad.
Here, however, health risks and political risks have come face to face. Apart from sending Begum Khaleda Zia abroad to resolve the health risk, BNP should also keep an eye on the political risk so that it does not take a dangerous form.