Khaleda under close observation

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia remains under close medical observation at the capital’s Evercare Hospital after being rushed there on Sunday evening with acute breathing difficulties.

Doctors said the 79-year-old former prime minister is struggling to breathe due to a chest infection that has spread to her heart and lungs. A source within her medical team confirmed that she is being monitored round-the-clock.

Khaleda Zia was admitted around 8pm on Sunday and is currently under the care of specialist physician Prof Shahabuddin Talukder. After admission, she underwent a series of tests and was started on antibiotics and other necessary medication.

A member of her medical board told reporters, “She has a chest infection. She already had a pre-existing heart condition. The infection has affected both her heart and lungs, causing significant breathing problems.”

Another board member, seeking anonymity, said that more tests were conducted on Monday and that the team will continue to watch her condition closely over the next 24 hours.

BNP sources said her son Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman are monitoring her condition from London, while Syeda Shamila Rahman — the wife of her late son Arafat Rahman— is at her bedside in Dhaka.

Khaleda Zia, who is nearing 80, has long suffered from multiple chronic health issues, including liver cirrhosis, kidney complications, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.

She travelled to London for advanced treatment on January 7 and returned on May 6. She has required several hospital visits since her return due to ongoing complications.

The BNP has called upon the nation to pray for her speedy recovery.