Khaleda Zia’s medical treatment

There should be no politics involved in the medical treatment of BNP’s incarcerated chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia. However, Awami League and BNP have been relentlessly hurling allegations at each other over this issue. BNP says that Khaleda Zia is being deprived of proper medical treatment, while Awami League accused BNP of using this issue as a political tool.

In the meantime, Khaleda Za refused to be treated at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and things came to a standstill. The extended political debate over the matter was completely unwarranted. Khaleda Zia finally accepted the court directives and agreed to be taken to BSMMU. The court’s decision should be a lesson to the physicians who are tarnishing medical professionalism with politics as none of them are to be on the board constituted for Khaleda Zia’s treatment.

BNP on Sunday objected to two names on the medical board, saying that the board should be formed as per directives of the High Court. On the other hand, the BSMMU director said that the High Court directives hadn’t been violated. He said no executive committee members of the doctors' associations of either the Awami League or the BNP camp would be on the board. Our view is that the High Court’s decision, that the medical board should be non-partisan, should be followed. There should be no debate over this.

Medical treatment is an absolutely professional issue and should not be impacted by politics. So professionalism alone should be applied in treating any patient. It is unfortunate if any professional physician’s performance is influenced by political bias.

The High Court directive has given food for thought, as to whether there should be any political divide at all among physicians. This raises fears of professionalism being compromised and the image of the profession being tarnished. The physicians should join hands in rising above this situation.

Khaleda Zia is a political leader and her treatment should be above all politics. The fact is that even this had to go to the High Court, only reveals the pettiness within our political culture. However, since the matter has gone to the court, we hope that the government follows the court’s ruling and ensures the best treatment for Khaleda Zia.