The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shahidul Islam

The Government decided to send two detained Prime Ministers-Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina-abroad for treatment if they themselves express the desire and high-powered official medical boards recommend after examining them inside prison separately.

Sheikh Hasina, who is the President of the Awami League (AL) and likely to fly first, would be sent to the US and Begum Zia, who is the Chairperson of the BNP, to the Kingdom of Saudi Aarabia, where she had earlier undergone medical treatment several times. Sheikh Hasina had her treatment before in the US, informed sources said.

The Government would form high-powered medical boards on the basis of recommendations made by separate medical boards comprising senior physicians of the choice made by the two top political leaders of the country.

One such medical board would examine Sheikh Hasina today at the Special Jail on the premises of Parliament building complex, as she yesterday formally gave her consent to go abroad for medical treatment to the jail authorities, Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui said last evening.

Inspector General (Prisons) Brig Gen Zakir Hossain called on the two former Prime Ministers separately at their respective prison-bunglows in the afternoon, as per the directive of the Government, when Sheikh Hasina herself expressed her desire to him. It, however, could not be ascertained as to what was the reply made by Begum Zia, whose both the sons were also arrested on separate charges of corruption, till filing of this report last night.

Earlier, in the afternoon, Adviser for Home Affairs Maj Gen (retd) Abdul Matin told a press conference at his office that the Government has decided to send Begum Zia and Sheikh Hasina for medical treatment if they so wish and medical boards recommend. The IG Prisons was directed to meet them and report back immediately after discussing with the two lady politicians, who alternated as the country's Prime Ministers since the restoration of multi-party democracy in 1991.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina's scientist husband Dr Wazed Mia, in a letter yesterday, requested Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed to send her abroad for treatment. The letter reached the Chief Adviser at 8:30 last evening. Her family has booked an air ticket with three alternative dates on March 7, 13 and 23 with a foreign airline.

In a related development, a High Court Division Bench comprising Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Shahidul Islam granted bail to Begum Zia's elder son Tarique Rahman in two separate cases yesterday in the morning.

In the meantime, doctors in Singapore yesterday examined AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

"They have advised me to take some medicines and to undertake more examinations," Jalil, who flew to Singapore and was admitted to the hospital early in the morning, himself told over telephone yesterday.