BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s health is still in ‘critical condition’.
The BNP chief, however, is now able to breathe without respiratory support, Fakhrul said at a news conference in Dhaka on Tuesday, reports bdnews24.com.
“Her pressure, temperature and oxygen saturation are now normal.”
There are, however, some lingering health issues that pose a threat, he said. “She has kidney issues. That’s a real problem. She also has heart issues. The doctors are still extremely concerned. They are continuing their efforts and their prayers.”
The BNP leader thanked Evercare Hospital for its efforts in treating his party chief.
“They haven’t left anything out. They are constantly bringing in specialists from outside the hospital and keeping in touch with major specialists abroad.”
Fakhrul bemoaned the state of medical care in Bangladesh, saying that even Evercare, which he said was the most technologically equipped, still had limitations on what it could handle.
Khaleda’s family requested that she be allowed to go abroad for treatment “because of these limitations”, he said. “The doctors were concerned, which is why they stated in a report that her condition was very critical.”
The BNP leader also criticised the government for its handling of Khaleda’s petition to go abroad.
“After we submitted the application, the government spoke in such a way that we and the people were all hopeful that it would be approved. We hoped they wouldn’t play politics with someone’s health care.”
“But sadly, their tone suddenly changed and they said they could not allow it. And the justifications they gave were completely unacceptable -- just lame excuses.”
Fakhrul also said that Khaleda had never broken any of the conditions imposed on her after her release from prison.