Photo : Collected
Former three-time Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia remains hospitalised after more than six years under house arrest. During this period, she has been unable to actively engage in politics due to the party's perceived ineffective leadership. Despite participating in various elections, including national ones, while Khaleda Zia was in jail, and securing seats in Parliament, the party has primarily focused on demanding her release without advancing plans for her treatment or securing permanent bail. Recently, senior leaders have criticised the leadership's inability to mobilise effectively in Khaleda Zia's absence, noting the party's failure over the past 18 years to build a substantial movement advocating for her release.
After investigations, it has been revealed that Begum Khaleda Zia's life is in serious jeopardy. Reliable sources within the party express uncertainty about her recovery and eventual return to active politics. Khaleda Zia has recently undergone the implantation of a pacemaker and is currently under intensive observation at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. There is a looming threat of a critical incident, including the possibility of sudden death. This alarming news has sparked anger among grassroots supporters.
Under pressure to announce a course of action, the party's leadership has reluctantly unveiled a program. The party is expected to launch a campaign on Saturday advocating for Khaleda Zia's release, beginning with a large rally in front of the Nayapaltan party office.
She lost the ability to walk long ago, relying solely on a wheelchair since March 25, 2020, and needing assistance for movement. Recently diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, Khaleda Zia's health has deteriorated significantly. BNP alleges that she was poisoned during treatment, complicating efforts to restore her health through local medical care. Her condition necessitates advanced treatment, with the medical board warning of serious risks. At 79 years old, Khaleda Zia suffers from multiple ailments including arthritis, heart disease, lung issues, kidney problems, and diabetes. She has been confined to a room for over six years, initially imprisoned on February 8, 2018, and subsequently placed under house arrest after being transferred from jail.
Field-level leaders and activists are expressing dissatisfaction with BNP's policy-makers, criticising their lack of effective action beyond occasional protest rallies and human chains in the past. The party's efforts during Khaleda Zia's imprisonment were perceived as weak, failing to exert pressure on the government for her release or to initiate a sustained movement. There are growing sentiments that due to the inactive role of BNP's leadership, Khaleda Zia has become sidelined in the party, with some sections considering her irrelevant.
Since her incarceration and subsequent sentencing, BNP has largely pursued legal avenues, withdrawing from street protests. However, this approach has been criticised for not effectively highlighting Khaleda Zia's plight both domestically and internationally.
Some unnamed leaders within the party have criticised BNP's policy-making forum as responsibile for Khaleda Zia's current plight since her imprisonment. They lament that despite various statements from BNP about legal battles or it being a family matter, no concrete decision has been made regarding her release. With Khaleda Zia now in critical condition, there is a perception that last-minute programs are being hastily arranged to mask prior failures.
To address these concerns, BNP has scheduled a rally in front of Naya Paltan's office today, June 29. On July 1, rallies are planned in major cities nationwide, followed by district-level rallies on July 3 to demand her release.
Admitting failure, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a member of BNP's standing committee, stated in a program, "We must decide if we truly intend to secure Khaleda Zia's release. BNP cannot expect Khaleda Zia to be freed without conducting the robust movement it is capable of. Home-based activities and social programs alone will not secure the release of a jailed leader. We are at a loss for words. Khaleda Zia should not have been imprisoned in the first place, and even after her incarceration, we failed to mount an effective movement for her release. Therefore, we have not been able to secure her freedom. If we are serious about freeing Khaleda Zia, peaceful programs are no longer sufficient. The only way to secure her release, sooner or later, is through a movement capable of toppling the government."
BNP advisor Advocate Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal emphasised, "When we chant 'Don’t be afraid Khaleda Zia, we have not left the path,' it signifies that there is no divergence or alternative route; there is only a smooth carpet. One can tread on the carpet to reach the gathering, but not to reach the destination. Khaleda Zia can only be freed under these conditions."
Responding to this sentiment, former speaker and member of BNP's National Standing Committee, Barrister Jamir Uddin Sircar, stated, "We have exhausted all legal avenues for Khaleda Zia's release. Political interference from the government has prevented her release despite her right to bail. The government has disregarded legal norms in this matter."
Messenger/Fameema
