It’s up to Khaleda, her family to seek parole: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said it is up to their chairperson Khaleda Zia and her family whether she will apply for parole or not.

"We didn't have any conversation with her (Khaleda) over parole as it's not an issue of our party. It's a matter completely related to Khaleda Zia and her family. So, we didn't talk to her over the matter," he said.

Fakhrul, who along with two other party leaders, met Khaleda at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), came up with the remarks while replying to a question by journalists on the premises of party founder Ziaur Rahman's grave.

Earlier, the BNP secretary general together with the leaders of the newly formed convening committee of Jatiyatabadi Ulema Dal placed wreaths at Zia's grave paying homage to him.

During their meeting with their chairperson, Fakhrul said they discussed the issues relating to her treatment and cases.

He said their chairperson urged the country's people to remain united to 'restore' democracy in the country.

The BNP leader also said Khaleda focused on keeping intact people's unity with BNP and some other parties.

Asked whether they have any discussion with their chairperson about swearing in by their party's six MPs-elect, Fakhrul replied in the negative. "We don't think the current parliament is an elected one. We also rejected the results of the so-called election."

He said their party is now taking preparations to wage a movement to force the government to free Khaleda Zia from jail and 'restore' democracy."

On Sunday, Fakhrul together with BNP standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Nazrul Islam Khan met Khaleda at room-No 621 of BSMMU's Cabin Block in the afternoon.

Talking to reporters after meeting Khaleda, Fakhrul said their chairperson's health condition has not improved that much at BSMMU over the last two weeks as she still cannot properly eat and bend her legs. "There's no improvement in her left hand as she can't work with it, and she has been going through such a situation."

He said it is imperative to ensure proper treatment to their chairperson by the doctors of specialised hospitals as per her choice.

The BNP chairperson has been in jail since a special court convicted her in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on February 8 last year.

Amid her falling health, Khaleda was shifted to BSMMU from Old Dhaka Central Jail on April 1 for her better medical treatment.