BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was unexpectedly admitted to Evercare Hospital this morning, is in a critical condition.

“She is now between life and death. We believe this is being intentionally done by the government,” Fakhrul told reporters on Monday in Dhaka, following his visit to the hospital.

“She suddenly fell ill this morning. She suffers from numerous ailments, which we have repeatedly emphasised. However, the government has turned a deaf ear to our pleas,” he lamented.

“It has now become a national demand that our leader be released unconditionally. The severe injustice inflicted upon her is a calculated political vendetta, and she is being pushed to the brink of death,” Fakhrul said.

UNB adds: BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday dismissed the government’s accusations of instigating the current movements by teachers and students on university campuses, saying that their party has no reason to be involved in such protests.

“There’s no question of us fueling this kind of movement. All these movements are their (teachers’ and students’) own,” he said.

Speaking to reporters at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, Fakhrul also said university teachers and students are carrying out these movements independently based on their own perspectives.

"Why should we instigate these agitations? There's no reason for us to do so," he said.

However, the BNP leader said their party believes the teachers' protest against the new universal pension scheme "Prottoy" and the students' agitation against the reinstatement of the quota system in government jobs are justified.

“We'll call a spade a spade and we'll talk about what is logical... we've always done this,” he said.

The BNP leader also admitted that the united movements of public university teachers and students have inspired the BNP.

"When people of the country unite in their own interest, it inspires us with great hope," he said.

Fakhrul said their party is also sceptical about whether the government intentionally created the two movements to divert people’s attention from the extensive problems in the country.

"But we support the anti-quota protests by the students because it is based on a logical demand. We see no reason to consider this illogical," he said.

Even after 50 years of the country's existence, the BNP leader said maintaining a 56 percent quota in government jobs is entirely illogical because it hinders the development of merit. "Capable individuals are thus prevented from obtaining positions in various administrative roles. This has caused significant damage to the country."

He said their party also thinks the teachers' protest is based on a logical demand as the government is trying to introduce the pension scheme for them moving away from its position.

“You (government) earlier said those who already receive a pension do not need to be included in the universal pension scheme. Only those who do not receive it can be included. However, now you have made it mandatory rather than optional for the teachers,” Fakhrul observed.