Khaleda's condition ‘unchanged’, say doctors

Doctors treating BNP chief Khaleda Zia say her condition remains “largely unchanged” amid plans to fly the former prime minister to London for advanced treatment.

The 79-year-old has been in Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital since November 23 and remains under close observation in the Critical Care Unit.

Members of her medical board told bdnews24.com on Saturday that although some clinical indicators were showing “positive signs”, she has not yet regained the capacity to travel by air.

“We hope that if these positive signs continue, she may be fit to fly around the 9th or 10th December,” one doctor said.

A senior BNP leader had earlier said that the board had approved her transfer abroad on Thursday, but her condition reportedly worsened slightly later that night.

Doctors say several tests have been conducted over the past two days, and the board is reviewing the results in daily meetings.

AIR AMBULANCE TO COME ONLY AFTER MEDICAL CLEARANCE

BNP officials said a specialist air ambulance arranged by Qatar will land in Dhaka only once her doctors issue a green signal for her travel.

BNP Chairperson's Advisor Enamul Haque Chowdhury, who is coordinating directly with Qatari authorities, said that all logistical arrangements have already been made.

“The air ambulance will come to Dhaka as soon as the medical board approves. It will then take [Khaleda] to London. All arrangements have been made by the Qatari authorities.”

Party officials had earlier said that the emir of Qatar’s royal air ambulance, used during a similar situation in January, would fly her out. But on Friday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the aircraft’s arrival had been delayed due to “technical issues”.

Later, the Qatar Embassy in Dhaka confirmed that the emir's personal aircraft would not be coming this time. Instead, the Qatari government was arranging a state-of-the-art German air ambulance, which will transport Khaleda to London once she is cleared to travel.

Asked about the matter on Saturday, Enamul said: “[Reports that Qatar is arranging an] air ambulance from Germany is correct. It is not us but the Qatari authorities who are arranging it.

“In other words, everything is being arranged under the supervision of the royal authorities for the former prime minister of Bangladesh. We have no involvement.”

Khaleda has been hospitalised since November 23. A medical board led by Prof Shahabuddin Talukder is supervising her treatment.

Her daughter-in-law, Dr Zubaida Rahma,n is also on the board and arrived in Dhaka from London on Friday to assist in preparations for moving the BNP leader abroad.

The BNP chief has long suffered from arthritis and diabetes, as well as complex problems involving her kidneys, liver, lungs, heart and eyes.

Since her release from prison in 2020, she has not taken part in any political programmes in person.

However, after undergoing treatment in London earlier this year, her return gave fresh impetus to the BNP. The party announced that she would contest three constituencies in the 13th parliamentary election due in February.

However, on the night of Nov 23, she was taken to the hospital for a health check-up. Tests detected a lung infection, and she was admitted. As her condition worsened, she was moved to the critical care unit.

After the government declared her a “Very Very Important Person” (VVIP), responsibility for the former prime minister’s security was handed to the Special Security Force and the President's Guard Regiment.

The chiefs of the three Armed Forces have visited her, as has Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman, who came to Evercare on Tuesday night. Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus followed on Wednesday night.