Ministers' propaganda about Khaleda Zia's illness is a conspiracy to take her jail again: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir believes recent statements by members of the cabinet on Khaleda Zia's illness may be part of 'propaganda' to pave the way to putting her back in jail.

The BNP secretary general made the remarks while addressing a press conference on Tuesday when attention was drawn to the various statements made by the ministers and leaders of the ruling party on the issue of the BNP chairperson's health.

He said: “The BNP chairperson is very sick. She had to stay at the hospital for 4 months and we’ve told you that she’s suffering from various liver and heart-related complications.”

“Even after this, if they say all these things, if they spread propaganda, it means they’re once again hatching a deep conspiracy. We have to think about whether they’re planning or conspiring to take her back to jail,” he speculated.

Mirza Fakhrul said: “We’ve repeatedly said that this is her fundamental right to get treatment. Doctors, and members of the medical board have said she needed to be sent to other countries for better treatment.”

"But so far the government has not taken any action on it. Moreover, they are making a mockery of our leader and the people by using such propaganda.”

The Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said: "BNP's real objective is to make Khaleda Zia sick and make her appear sick. BNP has been doing it from the very first for gaining political interest."

Meanwhile, the BNP secretary general has said the newly proposed ‘Essential Services Bill 2023’ is undemocratic and against the interest of workers and the public and demanded the withdrawal of the bill.

"BNP believes that the proposed bill will not only undermine the interests and rights of the working people, it is against democracy, human rights and the constitutional right of the people to protest. BNP is demanding the withdrawal of the proposed Essential Services Bill-2023. ”

"This bill will undermine all the rights that the working people had achieved by protesting for ages,” he said.

Mirza Fakhrul said the proposed bill is against the commitment Bangladesh made globally to protect the rights of the workers.

“Bangladesh ratified ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 98 in 1972. Where the right to strike is described as an integral part of the right to organize.”

“But the proposed bill would take away the right of working people to strike by designating a large number of industries, institutions and service sectors as "essential services" and will also take away their right to organize,” he said at the press conference.

BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury was also present at the press conference.