BNP today said that the party's Chairperson Khaleda Zia is unwell once again.

"Khaleda Zia is very unwell. If she is not given better treatment, her life will be at risk," said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Addressing a discussion in front of Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, the BNP leader said, "We told you (government) repeatedly to release her (Khaleda). I am calling for allowing her to go abroad for better treatment, before it's too late"

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The 76-year-old former prime minister was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and she needs to be taken abroad immediately to an advanced health centre for proper treatment, he added.

Khaleda has been suffering from arthritis, diabetes, as well as dental and eye complications. She was admitted to the hospital on November 13 and moved to the CCU the following day, nearly a week after she was discharged from the same healthcare facility.

Khaleda was sent to jail on February 8, 2018, in a corruption case. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she was given temporary release on certain conditions on March 25, 2020. The term of her release has been extended five times so far. The release was conditional that she will stay in her Gulshan residence and cannot leave the country.

Fakhrul also urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to apologise publicly for her remark on "pushing Khaleda into the river from the Padma bridge".

"You issued a death threat to Khaleda Zia. She is the most popular leader to the country's people, and was never defeated in any election," he said, adding that it is unthinkable that such an "irresponsible" comment came from a prime minister.

"People in any civilised country will not tolerate such a remark. We ask you (PM) to offer an apology to people for your remark," he said.

Issuing warning, the BNP leader said otherwise people will oust the government.

BNP's Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally in front of press club protesting what they said the prime minister's "indecent" comment on Padma Bridge involving Khaleda.

BNP's rally demanding the party Chairperson Khaleda Zia's immediate and unconditional release started in front of the party's central office in Nayapaltan this afternoon.

The rally started around 2:40pm with a recitation from the Holy Quran, reports our correspondent from the spot

This is the first major programme organised by the BNP in nearly eight months.

A temporary stage has been set up in front of the party office.

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BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the chief guest of the rally, joined the programme along with other central leaders of the party.

The party's leaders and activists have taken positions in and around the Nayapaltan headquarters since noon.

Meanwhile, a large number of police and members of other law enforcement agencies have been deployed in Nayapaltan and its adjacent areas to avert any untoward situation.

BNP this morning staged a three-hour token hunger strike in the capital demanding its Chairperson Khaleda Zia's unconditional release from jail and advanced treatment abroad.

The programme formally began around 11:20am in front of the party's Nayapaltan central office.

Photo: Amran Hossain

As part of its countrywide programme, BNP's Dhaka south and north city units organised the programme, attended by party senior leaders, including secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

BNP leaders and activists holding banners, festoons and placards joined the programme.

The token hunger ended at 2:00pm.

Photo: Amran Hossain

Besides, a similar programme was being held in all district towns and metropolitan cities across the country.

On October 9, BNP held rallies across the country, including in front of its central office in the capital, to press home the demand.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the 78-year-old former prime minister, has been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka under the supervision of a 15-member medical board since August 9.

The medical board at a press conference recently recommended that she be urgently sent to a multidisciplinary centre abroad as there are now no treatment options available for her in Bangladesh.

Khaleda has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.

On September 5, Khaleda's brother Shamim Iskandar submitted an application to the government to take her abroad for treatment, but it was turned down.

With their conflicting remarks, four ministers have caused confusion about whether BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia can engage in politics.

Law Minister Anisul Huq began it all on Sunday when he said there was no legal bar to Khaleda getting involved in politics again but wondered whether her poor health would even allow her to do so.

Yesterday, he again said that even though there is no bar to Khaleda engaging in politics, people think she practically cannot do so as she is sick.

She, however, cannot take part in the election as she is convicted, he reiterated.

"You will have to understand what the real situation is. It has been stated in the application submitted by her brother for her release from jail that she was seriously ill and her life would be in jeopardy if she was not given better treatment," the law minister said.

The former prime minister was convicted and imprisoned in a corruption case in 2018. She was released in March 2020 with an executive order and on condition that she would not leave the country and must receive medical treatment in the country.

Agriculture Minister and AL Presidium Member Abdur Razzaque on Wednesday echoed the law minister and said Khaleda could run her party and direct party activists even from jail.

However, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday contradicted the law and agriculture ministers and said Khaleda could not engage in politics due to the conditions for her release.

"Considering her age and health issues, she was released and allowed to stay home on conditions. As per the conditions, she cannot take part in politics," he said while talking to reporters at his secretariat office.

"Anyone sentenced to two or more years cannot take part in elections as per the law of Bangladesh. Khaleda Zia has been sentenced to more than two years. So, there is no question of her participating in elections," he said.

The confusion was further fuelled by Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader who made contradictory comments within two days.

On February 20, he said the BNP chief must follow the conditions of her release if she wants to get involved in politics.

Then yesterday, Qauder said that as a convicted person, there is no scope for Khaleda to get involved in politics.

"Has Khaleda Zia been relieved from her sentence? She is convicted. Has she been released [from jail]?" he said.

"Had she not been sick, she would have been in jail. So where is the opportunity [for her] to get involved in politics?" he said while addressing a meeting of the AL and its associate bodies.

All four ministers, however, have said that she cannot run for office.

BNP will  hold a countrywide demonstration on Saturday protesting arrest of “innocents and party activists” during police’s countrywide crackdown.

“This clampdown has nothing to do with militancy. It’s a ploy to repress BNP,” party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged in a press conference.

On Saturday, the party will organise a protest rally at the Engineers Institution Auditorium in Dhaka.

“The government, for the sake of its own existence, has turned the country into a militant’s den,” Rizvi alleged. “On the other hand, the government has failed to arrest militants of killing cases.”

In the first four days of a special drive, law enforcers detained over 11,600 people, mostly warranted criminals. Less than 200 among those detained were militants.

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The police came under criticism for the mass arrests made throughout the country. And after the fourth day, they stopped informing about the number of arrests made and focused only on militants.