Khaleda Zia shifted to CCU

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia has been shifted to Coronary Care Unit (CCU) from her cabin as her health condition deteriorated, said her personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain on Monday.

The former prime minister was shifted to the CCU as per the advice of the medical board at around 6:00 pm, he told Prothom Alo over phone.

She is under close observation, he added.

Khaleda Zia has been undergoing treatment at the Evercare Hospital for over four months since 9 August.

Earlier, Khaleda Zia was taken to CCU several times while undergoing treatment at that hospital.

Members of the medical board formed for the treatment of the BNP leader at a press conference said Khaleda Zia is at risk.

BNP leader Khaleda Zia’s medical board has been recommending that she be taken abroad and undergo a liver transplant.

Her personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain said the complication of Khaleda Zia's heart and kidney has increased due to liver cirrhosis.

She starts feeling better for some time and after a little while her condition deteriorates again. As a result, she is being given treatment round the clock and sometimes taken to the CCU.

On 25 September, the BNP chairperson's younger brother Shamim Iskandar applied to the home ministry asking for Khaleda Zia to be permanently released and taken abroad for treatment.

But the government rejected the application.

78-year-old Khaleda Zia has been suffering from arthritis, diabetes, as well as kidney, liver and heart diseases.

Khaleda Zia was imprisoned on 8 February 2018 after she was convicted in two cases. The former prime minister was in jail for over two years.

Khaleda Zia, who was convicted in Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust corruption cases, was released on 25 March 2020 by the government postponing her conviction on conditions through an executive order. Since then, her release period has been extended every six months.