Senior BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Wednesday accused former prime minister Sheikh Hasina of being responsible for the death of BNP chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, alleging that years of imprisonment and denial of proper medical care irreparably damaged her health.
Speaking at Manik Mia Avenue shortly before Khaleda Zia’s namaz-e-janaza, Nazrul said she entered prison on February 8, 2018, walking on her own, but emerged gravely ill after what he described as politically motivated persecution.
He claimed that prolonged incarceration, restrictions on treatment abroad and inadequate medical care accelerated her decline and ultimately led to her death.
Citing medical opinions from home and abroad, Nazrul said Khaleda Zia’s condition worsened during four years of house arrest when she was not allowed to seek treatment overseas.
He asserted that responsibility for her death could not be avoided by the former prime minister.
Khaleda Zia’s body was brought to a temporary stage at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad around 2:45 pm, where party leaders and supporters gathered to pay their final respects.
On behalf of the BNP, Nazrul read out a brief account of her life, outlining her entry into politics, her long struggle for democracy and her commitment to national sovereignty. He called on people across the country to pray for her departed soul.
Nazrul said Khaleda Zia remained steadfast in the face of repression and never compromised on democratic principles, freedom of expression or voting rights.
He noted that she was imprisoned during the rule of military ruler Hussein Muhammad Ershad, during the 1/11 caretaker-backed period and again under Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Despite being evicted from her residence associated with the memory of her late husband, President Ziaur Rahman, and sentenced to lengthy prison terms on what he termed fabricated charges, she refused to bow to authoritarian politics.
According to the BNP leader, Khaleda Zia’s resilience made her a lasting symbol of resistance against fascism.
He said she was being laid to rest amid widespread public affection and prayers, adding that those who persecuted her were later forced from power.
He referred to Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in a mass uprising on August 5, 2024, after which she sought refuge in India.
Reflecting on Khaleda Zia’s political journey, Nazrul said she joined the BNP on January 3, 1982, following the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman, at a time when the nation and the party were facing deep uncertainty.
Although her entry into politics was sudden, he said it became inevitable in the national interest.
He emphasized that she rose through the party ranks constitutionally, serving as a primary member, vice-chairperson, acting chairperson and later being elected chairperson through the party council.
Nazrul said Khaleda Zia led the BNP for 41 of her 43 years in politics, strengthening the party’s organizational structure and guiding it through turbulent periods.
He credited her with leading a nine-year movement against Ershad’s military regime, culminating in the restoration of democracy through the 1991 general election, for which she earned the reputation of an uncompromising leader.
He noted that Khaleda Zia served as prime minister three times and won every parliamentary seat she contested, calling her electoral success rare by both national and international standards. She was Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister and the second in the Muslim world.
Highlighting her governance record, Nazrul said her administrations introduced major public welfare initiatives, including stipends for female students, the Food for Education programme, and the establishment of separate ministries for expatriates and freedom fighters.
He said Bangladesh gained international recognition as an emerging tiger during her tenure and recalled her belief that the country should have friends abroad, not masters.
Nazrul also referred to her family’s role in the 1971 Liberation War, saying Khaleda Zia was detained by Pakistani forces with her two young sons while her husband declared independence and served as a sector and forces commander.
He described their contribution to the war as unparalleled.
He said Khaleda Zia often described Bangladesh as her only home, adding that she died on its soil and would be laid to rest beside her martyred husband.
Expressing confidence in the party’s future, Nazrul said the BNP would continue its journey under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, guided by Khaleda Zia’s ideals of democracy, peace and public welfare.
Concluding his remarks, Nazrul said Khaleda Zia was being bid farewell with respect and prayers from people of all political affiliations, leaving behind a legacy of courage, leadership and patriotism that would inspire future generations.
He thanked the chief adviser, members of the advisory council, political leaders, security forces and law enforcement agencies for maintaining order during the funeral proceedings.
