Ease travel curbs on Khaleda Zia: BNP

BNP's senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan yesterday demanded relaxation of Khaleda Zia's travel restrictions for treatment on humanitarian and moral grounds. 

"Khaleda's advanced treatment is not only a humanitarian issue, but a moral one too; it is also the people's demand. As she [Khaleda] received treatment aboard in the past, she may need to go there again. An application had been put forward in this regard, but it has not been accepted," he said.

The BNP leader said, "On behalf of our party, I would like to say this ban should be relaxed, so she can go abroad for better treatment, if she is in dire need of it."

Nazrul, a BNP standing committee member, made the demand while talking to reporters, after placing wreaths at the grave of party founder Ziaur Rahman, with leaders of Swechchasebak Dal's newly-announced partial committee.

On September 15, Khaleda Zia's conditional release from jail in two corruption cases was extended by six months, on condition that she cannot go abroad.

Reacting to Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud's remark which stated sending Khaleda back to jail can be demanded due to BNP's exaggeration, Nazrul said no one has the right to push their party chief and a three-time former PM towards death by depriving her of proper treatment.

Nazrul said Hasan Mahmud has become a "criticism affairs minister", since he talks more against Khaleda and her family than about his ministry and departments.