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 today said its "simultaneous movement" to oust the government from the office will be launched under the leadership of its chairperson Khaleda Zia.

"Everyone, get united under their individual leaders. We have announced earlier that our leader is Khaleda Zia and, in her absence, acting chairman of the party Tarique Rahman will lead the party," said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

After holding the second round of talks with Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) at the party chairperson's Gulshan office, the BNP leader said the party will wage "simultaneous movement" soon on completion of the second round of talks with the political parties.

Fakhrul said the two parties discussed the demands of the movement and agreed on those issues.

Mostafa Jamal Haider, chairman of the Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar), said, "Our aim is to get united and we progressed a lot in this regard. We believe that we will win the movement as all are getting united."

The BNP started holding second round of talks with various political parties on Sunday (October 2, 2022).

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 Chairperson Khaleda Zia, currently undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, was transferred to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) again from the cabin this evening.

"Khaleda Zia was moved to the CCU from the cabin around 6:30pm," said AZM Zahid Hossain, a member of a medical board formed for the former prime minister.

On October 26, a three-member team of US doctors made an emergency intervention on Khaleda Zia for her liver cirrhosis.

She was transferred to the CCU based on the recommendations of her medical board, according to Zahid, also a personal physician of Khaleda.

Khaleda Zia has been in and out of CCU several times this year, the last being on September 23.

The 78-year-old is suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.

Khaleda was sent to Old Dhaka Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years in prison in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later that year, she was found guilty in another corruption case.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order, suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with the condition that she stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country.

Since her conditional release in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving treatment at the hospital under a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.