The health of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, currently undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, has not shown significant improvement, according to her medical board and senior party leaders.
Doctors said the former prime minister is still suffering from pneumonia, which has caused infections in both her heart and lungs. They are making every effort to control the infections.
A medical board member, wishing to be anonymous, said excess fluid has accumulated in her body, requiring regular dialysis. She is also receiving oxygen support to aid her breathing. Despite her critical condition, Khaleda Zia remains responsive, can slightly move her hands and feet, and is able to speak a few words at times.
BNP Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon said her condition is stable, with no marked improvement or deterioration. “I went to the fourth floor of the hospital and spoke to her doctors. They told me it is still not possible to say when her condition might improve, but they remain hopeful. They said they are trying their best, and she may improve — now we just have to wait and see,” he told reporters after meeting the medical team.
BNP leaders and family members said if her condition improves, she may again be taken abroad for advanced treatment. Preparations have already begun, though BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Friday evening that she is still not medically fit to travel.
Speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, Fakhrul said the medical board believes she may require treatment abroad, but her present condition does not permit travel. Distinguished doctors from Bangladesh, as well as specialists from Johns Hopkins in the United States and the London Clinic in the UK, are overseeing her care. The full medical board held a detailed meeting for nearly two and a half hours on Friday night.
“They discussed her treatment in depth and shared their views on the next steps. The board said she may need to be taken abroad, but in her current condition it is not possible. She is not fit for overseas travel right now,” Fakhrul said.
Once her condition stabilizes, the board will consider whether she can travel abroad. Preparations for possible overseas treatment are already underway.
“Visa procedures, communication with countries where treatment may be possible, and other formalities have been discussed. These preparations are progressing so that, if the need arises and she becomes fit to fly, a quick decision can be made,” he said.
Khaleda Zia has been under intensive monitoring since her admission to Evercare Hospital on 23 November with severe infections in her heart and lungs. Initially kept in a private cabin, she was later moved to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) as her condition worsened.
Another medical board member told UNB that her condition remains complicated.
“She is on dialysis due to excess fluid in her body. The main reason is that her mitral valve has become stiff, preventing the heart from pumping blood properly. Some blood is leaking back through the valve, which raises the risk of right-side heart failure,” he said. He also noted that a severe infection and acute pancreatitis have further worsened her condition.
BNP Standing Committee member Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan said both local and foreign doctors are providing all necessary treatment. “Specialist doctors from abroad are also involved. Whatever treatment she needs is being given,” he said.
Mahdi Amin, adviser to BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, wrote on Facebook on Saturday that the family is planning to take Khaleda Zia to London for advanced treatment once her condition improves. He said Tarique Rahman and his wife have already contacted the London hospital and the specialist doctors under whose care she stayed for four months earlier this year.
“Arrangements are being made to organize a specially equipped, state-of-the-art air ambulance for that purpose,” Mahdi wrote.
Her former press secretary, Maruf Kamal Khan, also noted on Facebook that her condition has not improved noticeably. He said the family is considering treatment in London, Singapore, or even China, depending on the medical board’s advice.
Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna, who visited the hospital on Saturday, said preparations are underway to take her to Singapore or Europe, but she is “not in a condition to fly yet.”
As large crowds continue to gather around the hospital, Mirza Fakhrul and other BNP leaders have urged the public not to crowd the area, warning that it disrupts treatment for Khaleda Zia and other patients.
Apart from BNP leaders, several leaders from other political parties also visited Evercare Hospital on Saturday to inquire about her health, including Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Muhammad Mamunul Haque, NCP Senior Joint Member-Secretary Dr. Tasnim Jara, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, and Chief Organizer (South) Hasnat Abdullah.
They urged the public to pray for her speedy recovery. Hasnat Abdullah blamed the former prime minister’s declining health on inadequate medical care during her imprisonment, alleging she was denied proper treatment in jail.
Meanwhile, prayers continue nationwide for the former prime minister. Since Friday, people from various walks of life have been posting on social media, expressing concern and seeking blessings for her recovery.
