Begum Khaleda Zia, an opposition leader of Bangladesh, is being pushed to a slow death by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Mrs. Zia is the Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), by far the largest political party in the country since 1984 and a three-time Prime Minister. She is also the wife of former leader, President Ziaur Rahman, who also holds the onerous distinction of making the Declaration of the Independence of Bangladesh in March, 1971.
Mrs. Zia was dumped into solitary confinement in Dhaka’s old jailhouse in 2018 to serve a 17-year sentence on charges she did not commit. Her repeated cries of foul play fell on deaf ears of the partisan prosecution of the ruling Awami League and a regime-loyal judiciary. The 76-year leader suffers from a number of serious medical conditions that include heart problems, liver cirrhosis, kidney malfunctioning, diabetes and arthritis.
In the absence of proper treatment in custody, her condition continued to deteriorate. There is a strong rumor that she might have been subjected to slow-poisoning aimed at a quick end by her archenemy, the unelected Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina.
The bedridden Zia often bleeds internally from serious liver cirrhosis. Her medical team consistently states that unless she is urgently treated in the facilities available only in the US, the UK and Germany, it would be difficult to save her life. However, the doctor’s pleas, along with those of millions of Bangladeshis, fall on deaf ears. A hostile and spiteful Sheikh Hasina continues to deny her travel abroad in defiance of public demand, as well as international rules.
Violation of UN Rules
The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners adopted by the first United Nations Congress states the following:
“Sick prisoners who require specialist treatment shall be transferred to specialized institutions or to civil hospitals. Where hospital facilities are provided in an institution, their equipment, furnishings and pharmaceutical supplies shall be proper for the medical care and treatment of sick prisoners, and there shall be a staff of suitable trained officers.”
The Bangladesh government, in refusing Begum Khaleda Zia the proper and urgent medical treatment she needs is in clear violation of The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners adopted by the first United Nations Congress.
Furthermore, Bangladesh is a signatory to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which clearly states the following:
“The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.”
Once again, in vehemently refusing to allow Mrs. Zia the urgent medical attention she requires available only in the US, the UK and Germany, Bangladesh is in clear violation of a covenant it has ratified.
Recently, Australian lawmaker Janet Rice passionately appealed in the Parliament that her government urges Bangladesh to arrange needed treatment for Begum Khaleda Zia, further stating that denying such facilities was a violation of the UN Rules that guaranteed equal and proper treatment to prisoners.
Appeal to the US Government
The Coalition for Human Rights and Democracy in Bangladesh (CHRD Bangladesh) makes an urgent appeal to the US Administration to pressurize the Bangladesh government to immediately and unconditionally release Begum Khaleda Zia and facilitate her travel abroad for her life-saving treatment, as provided by the international rules to which Bangladesh is a signatory.