BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who has been undergoing treatment at the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka since April 27, is in much better health than earlier.
However, she is still receiving oxygen artificially, members of her medical board told Dhaka Tribune on Thursday.
She has been in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) for 17 days after being admitted to the hospital.
Although she is now free from Covid-19, the former prime minister is suffering from chronic diseases like arthritis, diabetes as well as heart and kidney complications, and receiving treatment for these.
Doctors had transferred her to the CCU on May 3 when she suddenly started experiencing breathing difficulties.
“There are no more updates. It is a long term treatment. As a physician, some predictions cannot be made right now,” said Khaleda’s personal physician Dr AZM Zahid Hossain.
Though her health condition is improving slowly, she is still not out of danger due to various post-Covid-19 complications, which is why she even had to spend Eid-ul-Fitr in the hospital, he said.
Asked how long Khaleda should stay in CCU, Dr Abdullah Al Mamun, a member of Khaleda’s personal medical team, told Dhaka Tribune that her condition may worsen at any time given her age, post-Covid-19 conditions, and the other complications.
“Every day her medical board is meeting and reviewing her physical condition,” he added.
The board had also met at 2pm on Thursday.
‘Talk to Mirza Fakhrul’
Dr Zahid Hossain said that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was briefed about the BNP’s chief’s health updates every day. “You will get all the information from him. However, the physicians will not disclose information to the media in this regard.”
Sources say, on May 19, the 10-member medical board had visited Khaleda.
Shamsuddin Didar, an official in the BNP chairperson's press wing, said Khaleda’s family and physicians were aware of her health condition. “We are unable to provide any updates. However, at the moment, we can only say that her condition is improving.”
According to Mirza Fakhrul said: “Khaleda Zia’s physical condition was complicated, even before contracting Covid-19, for various reasons. She is still in the CCU... She is still not out of danger.”
Conviction and release
On February 8, 2018, the former prime minister was lodged in the old Dhaka central jail after a Dhaka court jailed her for five years in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.
The High Court later doubled her jail term.
Khaleda was also found guilty in another corruption case the same year.
On March 25 last year, as she was suffering from multiple diseases, the government suspended Khaleda’s sentence for six months through an executive order, and she was released under two conditions – she would have to take treatment at her Gulshan residence and that she cannot travel abroad.
On August 27 last year, the government extended her release for six more months. It was extended again for another six months on March 15 this year.
On May 9, the Law Ministry rejected her family’s plea seeking the government's permission to take Khaleda abroad for advanced medical treatment.
