Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia's condition is serious, and she has been placed on a ventilator. Her son, Tarique Rahman, will return to the country from London soon. Security has been increased at the hospital, and she is under the supervision of specialist doctors.
Dhaka: The condition of Khaleda Zia, the 80-year-old former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has become critical. She has been placed on a ventilator. Meanwhile, due to her illness, her son and acting chairman of the BNP, Tarique Rahman, may return to Bangladesh from London soon. A senior party leader confirmed this information.
Tarique Rahman's Return
Tarique Rahman has been living in self-exile in London for over a decade. Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the BNP's standing committee, stated that Rahman will return to the country very soon. According to ‘The Daily Star,’ this information emerged after a meeting of the BNP's highest decision-making body, which discussed the current political situation and strategies for the upcoming election campaign.
According to BNP leaders, Tarique Rahman, who has been residing in London since 2008, is awaiting the issuance of a new Bangladeshi passport. He does not wish to use a one-time travel pass offered by the interim government. Akhtar Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the Election Commission, stated that Rahman is currently not registered as a voter in Bangladesh, but he can register upon obtaining permission from the Election Commission.
Security Increased at Hospital
Zia is being treated at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. Security around the hospital has been tightened. Police erected barricades at the hospital's main gate late Monday night and deployed more than 24 police personnel to ensure patient movement. After midnight, four members of the Special Security Force (SSF) arrived at the hospital and inspected various parts of the facility for approximately three hours.
The interim government declared Zia a ‘‘very important person,’’ enabling the deployment of the SSF for her security. The BNP chief is currently in a cabin on the fourth floor of the hospital. Due to security protocols, surrounding cabins have been vacated.
Zia's Health Condition
Zia was admitted to a private hospital on November 23 after complaining of heart and lung infections. Four days later, as her health problems worsened, she was placed in the Coronary Care Unit. BNP Vice President Advocate Ahmed Azam Khan stated that Zia was placed on a ventilator Sunday night after her condition became critical. He said, ‘‘Her condition is extremely delicate. There is nothing left to do now, only an appeal for prayers from the entire nation.’’
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also confirmed that Zia's condition is serious and she is under the supervision of local and international specialist doctors at the Dhaka hospital.
