Dhaka, Aug 7 (UNI) A day after her release from house arrest, former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Wednesday delivered a speech at a party rally at the capital’s Naya Paltan area via video link.
This is the first time Khaleda, 79, delivered a public speech at a political rally — more than six and a half years after she landed in jail in a corruption case in February 2018.
Khaleda, who was undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital, was released on Tuesday after the President pardoned her punishment, a day after Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister and fled the country in the face of mass uprising.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia thanked the protesting students and people for toppling the Awami League government, and urged them to set aside their thirst for revenge.
“She urged everyone to be patient and to unitedly concentrate on rebuilding this country,” the party’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told The Daily Star.He met Khaleda at the capital’s Evercare Hospital.
“I saw her after a long time. She seemed sound in mind; however, she looked a little tired,” said Fakhrul.
“The BNP chairperson has received her passport. The government was making it difficult for her to access it for days. We are preparing to take her abroad for better treatment. However, her doctors here have not yet permitted her to fly. Nevertheless, they are monitoring her condition, and arrangements will be made as soon as we get their clearance,” he added.
Khaleda’s treatment location is yet to be determined, mentioned Fakhrul.
As per Fakhrul, the BNP chair has assured of protecting temples and other places of worships countrywide.
“She said the party has decided that Chhatra and Jubo Dal will not be involved in any attacks on minorities. Instead, they will play an important role in securing them,” Fakhrul added.
She hoped for the situation to normalise soon — the students returning to classes, the selection of a government of the people’s choice, and the reemergence of the trend of fair politics, concluded Fakhrul.
