Former president Badruddoza Chowdhury hospitalised

Former president and veteran politician Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury has been admitted to a hospital in Dhaka city's Uttara area with lung infections.

He was admitted to the Uttara Medical College for Women and Hospital this (2 October) morning after his condition deteriorated, said his daughter Shaila Chowdhury.

"My father has a history of ischemic heart disease and has been hospitalised due to lung infections," she said.

Dr Chowdhury is receiving treatment under the care of cardiologist Aparna Rahman, medicine specialist Maruf Bin Habib, and his daughter, Dr Shaila Chowdhury, who is also a specialist in medicine, as confirmed by his press secretary Jahangir Alam.

Now 94, the former president has long been battling with various age-related health complications.

Born on 11 October 1930, Badruddoza Chowdhury served as the 14th president of Bangladesh from 14 November 2001 until his resignation on 21 June 2002.  

He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Sreenagar constituency in Munshiganj, representing the 'Paddy Sheaf' symbol in 1979, 1991, 1996 and 2001. During Khaleda Zia's government, he served as the minister of education and later as the minister of foreign affairs.

In 1996, when the BNP was in opposition, Prof Badruddoza Chowdhury also held the position of Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.

In 1978, Badruddoza Chowdhury transitioned from his medical career to politics at the invitation of Ziaur Rahman, joining the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He served as the founding Secretary General of the party and later held the position of Deputy Prime Minister during Ziaur Rahman's government.

On 8 May 2004, he founded a new political party 'Bikalpodhara Bangladesh, of which he is currently the president.