[🇧🇩] Monitoring Khaleda Zia's political and health issues

[Saif]

Khaleda Zia likely to return home after Eid-ul-Fitr: UK BNP leader

BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who is now in London, may return home after the holy Eid-ul-Fitr.

en.prothomalo.com

Khaleda Zia likely to return home after Eid-ul-Fitr: UK BNP leader
BSS
Published: 13 Feb 2025, 22: 54

BNP chairperson Khaleda ZiaFile photo

BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who is now in London, may return home after the holy Eid-ul-Fitr.

"We have requested her to spend at least this Eid with us. We hope that if she keeps her word, she will go to Bangladesh after Eid. She is much better now than before," UK BNP president and BNP chairperson's advisory council member MA Malek told Bangladeshi journalists living in London on Wednesday.

He said Begum Zia's health condition is relatively good now as she is spending a great time at the house of his eldest son Tarique Rahman as her daughter-in-law Dr Zubaida Rahman and granddaughters are taking care of her round-the-clock.

The 79-year-old former prime minister Khaleda Zia has been suffering from various physical ailments including liver cirrhosis, kidney, heart, diabetes, and arthritis for long.

On 8 January, she was taken to London by an air ambulance for advanced treatment.

Earlier, professor AZM Zahid Hossain, Begum Zia's personal physician, told reporters in Dhaka that she has been undergoing treatment under the supervision of 'The London Clinic' physicians in London since 8 January.

Begum Khaleda Zia is under the supervision of the doctors including professor Patrick Kennedy, professor Jennifer Cross and Dr Barred.

Professor Zahid has sought prayers from all Bangladeshis for recovery of BNP Chairperson from the diseases.

Upon the clearance from physicians of the London Clinic, Khaleda Zia went to her son's house.​

 

[Saif]

SC to hear plea on Khaleda’s acquittal in Zia Charitable Trust graft case tomorrow

Earlier, the court acquitted BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and two others, who had been convicted and sentenced by the lower court in the case.

www.thedailystar.net

SC to hear plea on Khaleda’s acquittal in Zia Charitable Trust graft case tomorrow

Photo: Collected

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is scheduled to hold a hearing tomorrow on a state plea regarding the High Court's judgment in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

Earlier, the court acquitted BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and two others, who had been convicted and sentenced by the lower court in the case.

The matter is listed as item number five on the apex court's cause list for February 16.

Confirming the development to BSS, Additional Attorney General Aneek Rushd Haque said that the state had filed an appeal against the High Court's judgment that acquitted Khaleda Zia and others.

"That plea has now come before the Appellate Division's regular bench for a hearing, and it has been placed on the cause list for tomorrow," he added.

On November 27, 2024, the High Court allowed two separate appeals filed by the BNP chairperson and two other convicts, challenging their conviction and sentencing by the lower court in the graft case, ultimately acquitting them of the charges.

"Appeal allowed," read the identical orders passed by the High Court bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain on that day.

"The court allowed two separate appeals -- one filed by Khaleda Zia and another jointly filed by Ziaul Islam and Monirul Islam Khan. The court acquitted them in the case," said ACC counsel Asif Hasan while speaking to journalists after the High Court's verdict.

"During the hearing, not a single witness testified that Begum Khaleda Zia embezzled money by misusing her power in the trust. We highlighted significant inconsistencies in the First Information Report (FIR) and the charge sheet during our arguments. Accepting our pleas, the court ruled in our favour and granted the appeals."

Additionally, Khaleda Zia's counsel, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, asserted that the case was entirely politically motivated and that his client had been denied justice in the lower court.​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda, 7 others acquitted in Niko graft case

With this, Khaleda Zia has been acquitted from all the cases filed against her during caretaker government in 2007 and AL government regime

www.thedailystar.net

Khaleda, 7 others acquitted in Niko graft case

A Dhaka court today acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others in connection with the Niko graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2007.

Judge Md Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge's Court-4 of Dhaka pronounced the verdict.

Khaleda, currently in London for medical treatment, was represented by her lawyer Mohammad Ziauddin Zia.

In the judgment, the judge said the prosecution has failed to prove the charges brought against Khaleda Zia and others. So, they were acquitted of the charges, it said.

With this, Khaleda Zia was acquitted and discharged from all the cases, including Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases, filed against her during caretaker government in 2007 and Awami League government regime.

The seven others are BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman's close friend Giausuddin Al Mamun, former acting secretary for energy ministry Khondaker Shahidul Islam, former Dhaka Club president Selim Bhuiyan, former senior assistant secretary CM Yusuf Hussain, former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, former general manager of Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX), Mir Moynul Haque, and former president of Niko Resources (Bangladesh) Limited Kashem Sharif.

Of them, Kamal, Moynul and Kashem are absconding while four others were present during the judgment.

Following the acquittal order, Khaleda's lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder told the journalists that they finally got justice from the court. The case was filed against the BNP chairperson just to harass her politically.

On March 28 of 2022, Kashem Sharif was sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment for taking bribe from Niko, a Canadian Oil and Gas Exploration Company.

Earlier, the court recorded statements of 39 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case.

On March 19 of 2023, the court framed charges against the 10 accused, including Khaleda Zia in the case.

On December 9 of 2007, the ACC filed the case, accusing Khaleda Zia and several others of abusing power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko when she was prime minister between 2001 and 2006.

On May 5 of 2008, the ACC pressed charges against Khaleda Zia and 10 others.

The names of former state minister for energy and BNP leader AKM Mosharraf Hossain and former law minister Moudud Ahmed and former BAPEX secretary Shafiur Rahman were dropped from the charges of case as they died earlier.​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda asks all to keep off vendetta

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia urged the people to keep off political vendetta and rebuild the country in spirit of love and fraternity.

www.newagebd.net

Khaleda asks all to keep off vendetta
Staff Correspondent 27 February, 2025, 14:32

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia. | UNB photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia urged the people to keep off political vendetta and rebuild the country in spirit of love and fraternity.

She made the call while she was virtually addressing an extended committee meeting of the party held at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

‘Today people from all walks of life in the country, especially the youths, are looking forward to a positive democratic change,’ the BNP chairperson said.

She further that the fascist regime was overthrown as a result of the coordinated movement of the BNP leaders and activists and the students, paving the way for the formation of an interim government.

‘The people expect them to swiftly complete essential reforms to reorganise the state and institute an election acceptable to all, ensuring the country’s return to democracy,’ Khaleda Zia said.

Saying that the nation was passing a critical juncture, the BNP chairperson urged party members, ‘Do not do anything that will make our struggle and sacrifice go in vain.’

She alleged that the fascist regime’s allies and the enemies of Bangladesh were still engaged in a deep conspiracy to sabotage the achievements of the mass uprising.

The conspiracy must be foiled by forging steel-solid unity among people, Khaleda said.

She also urged all to devote all their strength to build a modern, prosperous and democratic Bangladesh, as envisioned by the BNP founder, Ziaur Rahman, and to consolidate this hard-earned achievement through further strengthening the national unity.

‘Through you I appeal to people—let us all work together to transform our beloved Bangladesh into a truly liveable, developed and democratic state, not through revenge, but through mutual love and brotherhood,’ stated the BNP chairperson.

Khaleda Zia left Bangladesh for medical treatment on January 7 and is currently staying in London, where she is undergoing treatment and recuperation.

‘Even though I am in the UK for medical treatment, I am always with you,’ she said.

Khaleda Zia told party leaders and activists that their continuous struggle for democracy over the past 15 years, along with the sacrifices made for countless colleagues, victims of oppression and torture, and the thousands of false cases they had faced, would be remembered forever.

She emphasised that their efforts would be honoured not only by the party but also by the nation.​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda’s call for unity is a step in the right direction

Bangladesh’s political landscape has long been defined by division and vengeance.

www.thedailystar.net

Khaleda’s call for unity is a step in the right direction

File photo: Naimur Rahman

Bangladesh's political landscape has long been defined by division and vengeance. The cycle of retaliation, where one party in power seeks to silence and punish the opposition, has turned politics into a battleground of personal vendettas rather than a platform for national progress. This toxic environment has not only deepened mistrust, but has also hindered the country's democratic development. At a time when political discourse is increasingly being shaped by hostility, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's recent speech from London offers a rare and necessary call for unity. Her appeal to move beyond vengeance is not just a political statement—it is a vision for a more stable and democratic Bangladesh.

Khaleda's six-minute virtual speech from London was notable not just for what she said, but for what she did not say. Despite being under medical treatment and having endured 17 years of political persecution—including imprisonment—she did not utter a single word against Sheikh Hasina. She did not even directly mention the Awami League.

The former ruling party and its leaders left no stone unturned in its efforts to weaken her and her party, yet instead of responding with anger or a call for revenge, she appealed to the people with a message of unity. This makes her stand apart from her political adversary, whose rhetoric has often been laced with accusations and hostility towards opponents.

Since Hasina's government took office in 2009, Khaleda's political life has been marked by a series of humiliations and hardships. She was forcibly evicted from her longtime residence in Dhaka cantonment, an episode that saw her break down in tears at a press conference, only to have her emotional plea dismissed by the Awami League leaders as insincere. The hostility intensified further in 2013, when Khaleda was physically blocked from participating in the BNP's "March for Democracy" protest. In an infamous display of political suppression, the government positioned sand-laden trucks outside her residence, ensuring that she would not be able to leave. It was a moment that came to symbolise the state of the country's democracy, one where dissent was not just discouraged, but actively silenced.

Khaleda's ordeal did not stop at political obstruction. She was later imprisoned on corruption charges under circumstances that many believe were politically motivated, while Hasina, despite facing similar allegations, had all cases against her dismissed upon assuming power. Even from behind bars, Khaleda became a target of ridicule, with Hasina mockingly referring to her as a "thief" and repeatedly belittling her political movement. At one point, Hasina even suggested that Khaleda should be "thrown off" the newly constructed Padma Bridge, an astonishing remark for a sitting prime minister to make.

Yet, despite all of this, Khaleda Zia chose not to focus on past grievances. She warned that fascist forces and enemies of the country are working to undermine the mass uprising and called upon the BNP activists to unite and reorganise with greater determination. Her message was clear: politics should be done for progress, not retribution.

In Bangladesh, power and politics have frequently been used to punish political rivals, who have been treated as enemies rather than opponents. This has resulted in a deeply polarised society where policy debates are sidelined in favour of personal attacks. Khaleda Zia's refusal to engage in this cycle of hostility sets a different precedent—one that prioritises reconciliation over retaliation.

History offers valuable lessons on the importance of unity over vendetta. Nations that have broken free from cycles of political revenge have been able to move forward and rebuild. South Africa's transition from apartheid, Chile's return to democracy after dictatorship, and Germany's post-war reconciliation all demonstrate that progress is possible when leaders choose dialogue over division. Bangladesh, with its own history of resilience, has the same opportunity: to reject the politics of punishment and embrace a future built on democratic principles.

However, unity does not mean forgetting past injustices or allowing wrongdoing to go unpunished. A nation cannot build its future solely by seeking revenge for its past. Accountability must be pursued, but it should not be weaponised for political gain. True democracy thrives when differences are debated, not suppressed, and when justice is served in a manner that strengthens, rather than divides, the nation.

For too long, Bangladeshi politics has been defined by who holds power rather than how that power is used to serve the people. Khaleda Zia's call to go beyond vengeance presents an opportunity to reset this dynamic. The real question is whether the country's political leadership—on all sides—is willing to rise to the occasion. This call for unity should not be dismissed as mere rhetoric. It is an essential step towards restoring democracy, fostering stability, and ensuring that governance serves the people. If Bangladesh is to move forward, unity must not just be an idea—it must be a practice.

Mohammad Al-Masum Molla is a journalist at The Daily Star.​