The family members of detained BNP chief Khaleda Zia have urged the government to release her on humanitarian grounds for her advanced medical treatment.
After visiting her at the BSMMU hospital in Dhaka on Tuesday, Khaleda's sister Selima Islam said Khaleda’s condition was so bad that she could not even speak due to breathing problem, reports bdnews24.com.
“We are telling the government to take into account her health, respiratory problem, and age. They should release her or get her bail on humanitarian grounds,” Selima told the media.
“We have only one demand - which is her unconditional release,” she said.
The 74-year-old former prime minister cannot stand for even five minutes, according to the sister.
Her left hand bent and the right hand was bending as well, Selima said.
“She is vomiting whenever she eats. She also has fever and her entire body aches. She urgently needs advanced medical treatment. We don’t know what will happen if she is not given advanced treatment now,” she said.
Khaleda has been in a cabin of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Medical University, serving a total of 17 years in two graft cases, under the jail authorities’ supervision since April last year.
The authorities moved her to the hospital when the High Court ordered her treatment for illness blamed by the BNP on her incarceration for the 11 previous months in the old jailhouse on Nazimuddin Road and “a lack of care”.
Selima said the family had filed a petition with the BSMMU vice-chancellor for Khaleda’s unconditional release.
“She is not in the same condition with which she had come here. She was able to walk at that time. Now she can’t stand for even five minutes. The treatment by the doctors here isn’t helping her health to improve. She needs advanced treatment for recovery,” Selima said.
She also urged the people to pray for the BNP chief’s quick recovery.
Besides Selima, their brother Shamim Eskander’s wife Kaniz Fatema, son Avik Eskander, Tarique Rahman’s sister-in-law Shaheena Zaman Khan Bindu and Arafat Rahman Coco’s mother-in-law Mukrema Reza went to meet Khaleda.