BNP demands to take Khaleda abroad quickly

PBC News:  BNP has demanded the government to take immediate steps to take Khaleda Zia abroad for advance treatment.

“Head of the medical board formed for BNP chief’s treatment Dr AFM Siddique said though Khaleda is recovered from Covid infection but she is suffering from the complications of it and is by no means safe. She needs to be taken to advanced hospital abroad for treatment of liver and other complications. In Bangladesh, the chances of the treatment are relatively low,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the demand at a press conference in Dhaka on Tuesday

Announcing the decision of the BNP standing committee meeting, the party secretary general said the meeting of the standing committee realises that it is important to expedite the process of sending Khaleda Zia abroad for better treatment and release her.

On June 20, a meeting of the standing committee was held at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office with acting chairman of the party Tarique Rahman in the chair. The meeting reviewed the latest health condition of the BNP chairperson who is suffering from various complications including lung.

Asked about the next steps to send Khaleda Zia abroad, Mirza Fakhrul said, “We did not say about it (Khaleda’s treatment) before, her family asked the government to send her abroad. We are taking a resolution in the meeting of the standing committee of the party that she needs medical treatment abroad. Whatever the government needs to do for this, the government should do it immediately (without delay).”

He further said, “We will take a decision on next steps after having a discussion.”

On June 19, Khaleda Zia returned to her Gulshan home after 53 days of treatment at the capital’s Evercare Hospital. The medical board formed to treat Khaleda has decided to take her home due to the risk of coronavirus infection in the hospital.

The BNP chief was tested positive for Covid-19 on April 11, was admitted to Evercare Hospital on April 27.

She tested negative for Covid-19 on May 8, 27 days after she had been infected with the deadly virus, but the BNP chief has been staying in the hospital for treatment for various comorbidities and post-Covid complications.

Her family submitted an application to the government on May 6 seeking permission to send her abroad for advanced treatment, but it was turned down.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year.