Khaleda Zia needs oxygen, but better than before: Fakhrul

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia is doing better than yesterday, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said.

"Her physicians are happy that she is better today than yesterday. Khaleda Zia's condition is now stable. She is being given around two liters of oxygen," Fakhrul told Prothom Alo at around 5:30pm Tuesday.

Khaleda Zia has been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital. She was shifted to the coronary care unit (CCU) of the hospital on Monday after she developed breathing difficulties early morning on the day.

When asked about taking Khaleda Zia abroad for treatment, the BNP secretary general said, "We have not discussed this as yet."

When also asked whether he talked to the home minister, Mirza Fakhrul said, "I have apprised him of madam's physical condition and that is all."

The family of Khaleda Zia, the BNP chairperson presently undergoing treatment for coronavirus, as well as her party, want to take her abroad as the former prime minister's health condition has slightly worsened.

Earlier, a personal physician of the BNP chairperson said Khaleda Zia would mainly undergo medical treatment in Singapore and London.

The physician maintains that she will get better treatment abroad as the physicians there already know about her physical condition.

“Khaleda Zia was incarcerated for over two years. She had been in confinement at home for over a year. She requires a thorough test and treatment,” said the physician.

He said they are mulling over taking Khaleda Zia to Singapore since she had undergone regular medical checkups there earlier.

Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Khaleda Zia’s younger brother Shamim Eksander have talked with home minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Monday evening. They did not talk anything about taking Khaleda abroad that time.

Khaleda Zia, who was suffering from coronavirus, was admitted to Evercare Hospital on Tuesday.

She was tested for Covid on 10 April and on 11 April the results were positive. She tested against on 25 April and the results were positive again.