The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday said that it would start a street movement demanding the release of party chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in the capital.
The street programme is likely to be officially announced on Wednesday through a press conference.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir revealed the information at a press conference held at the BNP chairperson鈥檚 Gulshan office on Tuesday to brief the media about its standing committee meeting held the previous day.
He said that the standing committee meeting decided to launch the movement to drive home its demand for the release of its ailing chairperson.
Fakhrul said that the standing committee was concerned over the deterioration of Khaleda鈥檚 health.
The chairperson鈥檚 condition was 鈥榮table鈥� now after having a pacemaker implanted in her heart, he said.
In response to a question from journalists about her latest physical condition, he said, 鈥楢s far as I know till this morning [Tuesday], she is stable so far.鈥�
Khaleda Zia鈥檚 heart was fitted with a pacemaker at Evercare Hospital on Sunday afternoon. After that, she was shifted from the coronary care unit to a cabin with CCU facilities on Monday.
The 79-year-old former prime minister, admitted to Evercare Hospital in critical condition early Saturday, has been suffering from various complications, including heart disease, lung, liver and kidney issues, arthritis and diabetes.
Fakhrul said that Khaleda Zia was imprisoned over political vendetta, which was completely illegal and unconstitutional.
鈥楾he illegitimate government is depriving the country鈥檚 leader of advanced medical treatment to kill her to perpetuate their power,鈥� he said, adding that it was because of the prime minister, Khaleda Zia was being deprived of better treatment because.
He said, 鈥楢lmost all the arrangements were made to send her [Khaleda Zia] out, her family applied. Finally, when it [the application] went to the prime minister, she rejected it.鈥�
鈥楴ot only this, we also wrote letters to various foreign missions. They tried again and again鈥� but they came back. They said, 鈥淪orry bro, she didn鈥檛 listen鈥� She is deeply vindictive,鈥濃�� Fakhrul added.
Fakhrul said that the purpose [of the government] was to keep Khaleda Zia away from politics just before the 2018 general elections.
She was wrongfully convicted of false charges and sent to prison, the opposition leader said.