Hasina pushed Khaleda to death inch by inch: Rizvi

Staff Reporter :

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, “We are expressing doubt—people are expressing doubt—whether Khaleda Zia was given proper diagnosis and treatment in prison. This allegation against Sheikh Hasina and her administration is now clear. The treatment required for the illnesses Khaleda Zia suffered from was not provided. She was gradually pushed toward death—that is how we feel. She herself had understood this. Her family said it, the party said it, people from different parts of the country said it, even eminent citizens of the country said it—but no one listened.”

He made these remarks on Saturday (January 3) at a doa mahfil and memorial meeting organized by the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and the Dhaka Journalists’ Union (DUJ), praying for the eternal peace of Begum Khaleda Zia’s soul.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, “Begum Khaleda Zia spoke with great prudence. Her experience, wisdom, and political maturity elevated her to a distinct stature in national politics today. From her principal political opponents, she faced not only insults but also vulgar and obscene language. Yet she responded with utmost courtesy and restraint—often not responding at all. This further increased her dignity in the eyes of the general public. And those who use such indecent language keep sinking lower—this is a reality of politics. Unfortunately, many politicians in our country fail to realize this.”

He said, “Even in the face of one uncivil statement after another, Begum Khaleda Zia did not lose her composure. She went to London in 2017. At that time, Obaidul Quader used to say almost every day that she would not return to the country, that she would stay abroad, and that she did not want to face the ongoing cases. Yet she knew what the outcome of those cases could be. She knew how ruthless and vindictive her political opponents could be. She knew she would face severe persecution.”

He added, “Under a planned agenda, Khaleda Zia was taken to prison. There, she was not given any advanced medical treatment. She became increasingly ill. The person who walked into prison came out in a wheelchair. No advanced treatment was arranged. She was not even taken to a good hospital within the country. Although she was taken to PG Hospital, even there experienced and competent doctors were not allowed to treat her freely. Many doctors told me that intelligence agencies, including the DGFI, would follow her personal physicians, creating pressure and issuing threats.”

“Despite all these circumstances, she endured everything solely for the people and for the country. She possessed immense patience, self-restraint, and self-sacrifice. Even amid major crises and grief, she managed to remain steadfast and demonstrated firm resolve in confronting them.”

Rizvi said, “There have been many attempts to suppress and crush the BNP, but they did not succeed, because at its helm stood the steadfast and resolute leader Begum Khaleda Zia. She added a moral height to politics. She shattered the notion that politicians’ words and deeds never align. From 1986 until her death, she upheld the commitments she made to the people. She proved that politics does not mean deception, politics does not mean false promises. Politics means fulfilling the promises made to the people. The sole embodiment of this ethical politics was the national leader Begum Khaleda Zia.”