The opinion of the Law Ministry on allowing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for medical treatment has been sent to the Home Ministry.
The document of the law minister's recommendation was sent to the Home Ministry around 10am on Sunday, said Mohammad Rezaul Karim, public relations officer of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, reports UNB.
Later on the day, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told reporters at his office that he will speak on Khaleda Zia's request to be sent abroad for medical treatment around 4pm on Sunday.
On March 25 last year, amid the Covid-19 outbreak, the government had freed the prime minister from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences. Later, the suspension was extended.
Her jail sentence was suspended as per Section 114 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and now it was examined to see whether it grants her permission to go abroad.
Although sources said the law minister gave his opinions on three issues, no Law Ministry official agreed to go on record and comment on the documents sent to the Home Ministry on Sunday.
Last Wednesday, Khaleda’s younger brother Shamim Iskander had met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan at his Dhanmondi residence and submitted an application seeking permission to send her abroad for advanced treatment.
Meanwhile, Khaleda has tested negative for Covid-19, 27 days after she contracted the deadly virus.
Her health is now showing progress and the complications are gradually decreasing. However, she is not out of risk as the post-Covid-19 effect can damage other organs.
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The BNP chief underwent the Covid-19 test on Saturday and her report came back negative, her medical board member Dr AZM Zahid Hossain told UNB early Sunday.
Another physician of her medical board said she was still on oxygen support even though her overall condition marked a little improvement. Her oxygen level goes down to 90% without support.
The physician, wishing anonymity, said though the amount of fluid in her lungs has decreased, it’s still being extracted from her lungs. "This is now a matter of concern."
The 76-year-old BNP chief tested positive for Covid-19 for the first time on April 11 along with eight other people at her residence.
After testing positive for Covid-19 for the second time on April 24, she was admitted to Evercare Hospital on April 27 for a thorough health checkup.
The next day, the hospital formed a 10-member medical board for her treatment.
Khaleda was shifted on Monday to the hospital's Coronary Care Unit with shortness of breath.
