Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is 'more stable' and her condition has not deteriorated. The 80-year-old chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been undergoing treatment at the Dhaka Evercare Hospital since last month after her health deteriorated.
In a statement, her personal doctor AZM Zahid Hossain said Zia has been "quite stable" over the past month and she had underwent a minor procedure on Friday as well, which was completed "very successfully". "Currently, there has been no deterioration in her condition," Hossain said.
Zia was scheduled to be flown to London last week with the medical board's consent but her departure was delayed as an air ambulance offered by Qatar could not reach Dhaka.
The doctors later decided that Zia should receive continued treatment at Dhaka's hospital until she was deemed fit to fly. Zia's son and BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman is set to return home on December 25, ending his 17 years of self-exile in London.
Zia' deteriorating health
Zia was hospitalised on November 23 after her health deteriorated. On December 12, officials announcement that she was put on ventilator support and doctors are monitoring her situation regularly. "Deeply concerned to learn about the health of Begum Khaleda Zia, who has contributed to Bangladesh’s public life for many years," he had posted on X.
Seeing her condition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India is ready to provide all the necessary assistance to Bangladesh, as he prayed for the quick recovery of Zia. Later, the BNP welcomed PM Modi's remark and said it "deeply appreciates this gesture of goodwill".
Bangladesh general elections
Meanwhile, general elections will take place in Bangladesh on February 12, country's Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin announced earlier this month. According to several reports, Zia's BNP has emerged as a frontrunner for the elections. Party Secretary-General Mirza Falhrul Islam Alamgir has said that the BNP remains hopeful that it will return to power after 17 years in the country.
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