Law Minister Anisul Huq today told the parliament that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is now free as she is definitely not in custody of the government.
“She (Khaleda) is definitely free. She is not in the government’s custody. She can receive medical treatment anywhere in the country according to her will, and she is doing that,” he said.
The law minister said this while replying to BNP MP Rumeen Farhana’s remarks that Khaleda Zia still remains in custody of the government.
“If anything happens to her (BNP chief), the government will have to bear the full responsibility as she has been in the government’s custody for the last three years,” said Rumeen.
She said the law minister earlier argued that Khaleda Zia would have to go to jail in order to get permission to go abroad as there is no scope to reconsider a decided case in the same provision (section 401) of the Criminal Code of Procedures.
Rumeen said, “But there is nothing like this in section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedures.”
The provision gives the government unlimited authority to take any decision in this regard, she remarked.
BNP MP Mosharof Hosen said since the government argued that Khaleda Zia needs to go to jail again to get permission for going abroad, “the government can declare her residence as sub-jail and allow her to go abroad.”
Replying to the remarks, the law minister said he still stands by what he said in this regard.
The law minister mentioned that he earlier said no decision can be given anymore over a decided case, but he didn’t refer to section 401.
“I have difference in opinion over what explanations you presented over section 401 (of CrPC),” he said referring to BNP MPs.
Anisul Huq said Khaleda Zia was freed on humanitarian grounds and the government would consider whether the fresh demand regarding her can be accepted or not.
