The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shahidul Islam

In a dramatic move, ailing Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil was released on parole yesterday evening to be flown to Singapore for medical treatment anytime at night.

The ailing AL leader along with his wife Rehana Jalil was scheduled to fly either by a Singapore Airlines SQ 435 at 11:55pm yesterday or by an air ambulance early hours today from Dhaka to Singapore to get admitted at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital there, sources close to his family and senior Government officials said.

In the morning, the key-policymakers of the Government at an emergency meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair at his office decided to set Abdul Jalil free on parole for one month under special consideration on humanitarian ground as per recommendation of the medical board.

The meeting also formed a high-powered medical board, which recommended to send him abroad for medical treatment after examining the Awami League (AL) General Secretary at LabAid Cardiac Hospital for two hours from noon to afternoon.

Later in the evening, reviewing the health condition of Abdul Jalil and recommendations of the high-powered medical board at a meeting, the Advisory Council decided to take similar action for other detained political leaders (VIP prisoners), including two former Prime Ministers-Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, on parole on humanitarian ground if they were advised by medical boards to send abroad for treatment.

Disclosing this after the meeting at a press briefing at the Chief Adviser's Office, Syed Fahim Munayem, the Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, said the Government decided to compromise (by pass) the legal bar on humanitarian ground to save Abdul Jalil's life.

The significant development coincided with the presence of former Caretaker President of Pakistan Wasim Sajjad, also sitting Senator, and former US Ambassador Patricia A Butenis in the capital.

However, neither the US Embassy nor Pakistan High Commission disclosed the objectives of the sudden visits of the two foreign dignitaries.

Abdul Jalil, who was arrested on May 29, 2007 on corruption charge, was suffering from various health complications, including heart and kidney ailments, and receiving treatment at the capital's Labaid Cardiac Hospital from July 29 last year.

Earlier, on Saturday, his wife Rehana Jalil in a formal letter, to the Chief Adviser and Adviser of Home Affairs, requested the Government to free him on parole for medical treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, citing medical board's recommendations that Jalil needed urgent renal transplant or dialysis. She pleaded that Jalil and their family prefer kidney transplantation instead of dialysis at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.

"The Government would do the same for other VIP prisoners, particularly former Prime Ministers-Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina-if they suffer from similar critical condition like that of Abdul Jalil," Adviser for Home Affairs Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin told journalists.

Inspector General (Prisons) Brig Gen Zakir Hasan told journalists that Abdul Jalil was set free in the evening on an one-month parole so that he could take treatment from Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.

Replying to a question, he said no jail guards would be provided for Jalil during the time of parole, tied with a string of conditions set by the caretaker-government authorities so he couldn't do anything having political implications.

"I hope Mr Jalil will maintain self-discipline and return on completion of his treatment," said Brig Gen Zakir Hasan, adding, "Under the conditions of release, the Awami League leader will be on parole for a maximum of 30 days,"n The Government, earlier, took the decision to set him free on parole after a six-member medical board led by Prof Dr Matiur Rahman prescribed on Saturday that the AL General Secretary to be sent abroad for treatment of his damaged kidney.

"If he goes abroad for treatment, he or his close relatives will have to inform Bangladesh mission about his health conditions every three days," said a Government announcement on the parole.

"He cannot take part in any political, business or any other activities; he cannot make any contact with any organisation or person except on physical grounds,"

The release said he should inform the Government soon after completion of his treatment and return to the country.

Briefing reporters, Home Affairs Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin said Jalil, who is now being treated at Lab Aid Hospital, would be sent abroad on parole. "His condition is really bad."

Matin said a new five-member high-powered medical board for Abdul Jalil was formed yesterday and the government would send him abroad on parole if recommended by the newly constituted medical board.

He said the Government did not make any delay and they are aware of his health condition from the beginning. But previous medical boards did not make any recommendation to send him abroad.

Asked if the law is being compromised for sending him abroad, he said law is compromised in a special situation and his condition is "bad."

Gen Matin said he himself was constant touch with both the hospital and jail authorities, who have assured him that the health condition of former Prime Ministers-Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina-was not as bad as Abdul Jalil.