Khaleda being given treatment as per jail code: Quader

Awami League General Secretary and also Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is being given treatment following the jail code.

"Begum Khaleda Zia is enjoying the medical facilities as per the jail code. Jail authorities, home ministry and health ministry are the in-charges of her treatment," said Quader.

The minister was addressing the annual council of Dhaka University (DU) unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League, at Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) auditorium today as the chief guest.

"BNP leaders are doing politics based on falsehood. Only physicians can say if Khaleda is sick or not. There will be a suspicion if Pro-BNP nationalist physicians give certificate for her illness," said Quader.

Quader said BNP leaders consider that the government itself sent BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia to jail over Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, but the government did not interfere in the matter.

"The government did not send the BNP chairperson to jail, it will also not be able to free her from the confinement," he said.

While talking about BNP's acting chairman, Quader said Tarique Rahman had gone abroad in the name of receiving treatment by giving deponent that he would not do politics.

But now BNP is saying that Tarique, who was awarded imprisonment in different cases, has taken political asylum in London, he added.

"Tarique does not have the courage to face imprisonment or torture. A fugitive and coward like him, who cannot take to the street to wage movement, cannot be accepted as the leader of Bangladesh," said Quader.

Quader said BNP tried to catch fish in the troubled water over students' quota reform movement.

"There is no confusion over the linkage of BNP leaders in the attack on DU Vice-Chancellor's residence during the quota reform movement," Quader commented referring it as BNP's political virulence.

The AL general secretary urged the BCL leaders to elect new leadership through the council who will work for Awami League to ensure victory in the next general polls.

Quader also asked BCL not to give space to opportunists to the party as such elements have no trace in crisis period.

"We want leaders to lead Chhatra League who are self-abnegating, eligible and always follow the ideology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," he added.

Jahangir Kabir Nanak, joint secretary of Awami League, hoped that the new leadership of BCL will uphold the dignity of DU and lead Bangladesh in future.

AKM Enamul Haque, organising secretary of the ruling party, said DU BCL unit has to play significant role in politics.

Saifur Rahman Sohag, president of BCL central committee, inaugurated the council while SM Jakir Hossain, general secretary of BCL, delivered the keynote speech.

BCL DU unit president Abid Al Hasan presided over the function while its general secretary Motahar Hossain Prince conducted the session.

Bangladesh Chhatra League, the country's oldest students' organisation, began its journey on January 4, 1948, with the fundamentals of education, peace and progress.