Dr Siddiqui calls for seizure of Khaleda Zia's medical records, travel ban on those concerned

All medical records of Begum Khaleda Zia related to her treatment at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) should be legally seized, and if necessary, those concerned should be barred from travelling abroad, said Professor Dr FM Siddiqui, a member of her personal medical team.

He made the remarks today (16 January) while speaking on behalf of the medical community at a civic mourning meeting held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban following the death of the former prime minister.

"After Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital on 27 April 2021 with Covid-19–related complications, we, as the current medical board, took over responsibility for her treatment," Siddiqui said.

"Immediately after her admission, examinations and investigations conducted under our supervision revealed—much to our shock and concern—that the former prime minister was suffering from liver cirrhosis," he said.

However, he added, the discharge certificate issued by BMU had instructed that she be given Methotrexate regularly for arthritis, and the drug had also been administered to her during her hospital stay. "We immediately stopped the medication," he said.

Dr Siddiqui noted that Khaleda Zia had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and had been taking the drug on the advice of rheumatologists. In addition, she had Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD).

"It is important to note that diagnosing Khaleda Zia's liver condition was a very simple task and did not require a specialist. When Methotrexate is prescribed, several liver function parameters must be regularly monitored through blood tests, and if any abnormalities are detected, the drug should be stopped and, at a minimum, an abdominal ultrasound should be performed to assess the condition of the liver," Dr Siddiqui said.

"Incredibly, despite abnormal liver function test results, the government-appointed physicians neither conducted an ultrasound nor stopped Methotrexate," he said.

He further said that due to a lack of trust in the physicians at the time, Khaleda Zia did not agree to undergo ultrasonography there. "However, considering the seriousness of the situation, a bedside Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) could easily have been performed by a trusted physician. At the very least, stopping Methotrexate was an absolute duty," Dr Siddiqui said.

"Many people have asked whether Khaleda Zia was subjected to slow poisoning. My answer is that Methotrexate was the drug that accelerated her fatty liver disease into liver cirrhosis; in that sense, it acted like a slow poison to her liver," he said.

Dr Siddiqui said millions of people across the country now feel deep regret that a woman who made lifelong sacrifices for democracy and voting rights could not live a little longer or witness people freely exercising their franchise.

"Such negligence in Khaleda Zia's treatment, and the rapid deterioration of her liver function, pushed her towards death. This was willful negligence. It is an unforgivable crime, and it must be investigated whether this was part of a broader plan," he said.

Dr Siddiqui also alleged that the medical board has clear evidence of negligence in the treatment of her diabetes and arthritis.

He called for a detailed investigation by a legally constituted high-powered committee into three specific issues:

1. Who were the members of the government-formed medical board, and on what qualifications did they assume responsibility for Khaleda Zia's treatment, and whether responsibility for failure to perform their duties lies with them.

2. Which physicians were involved in her treatment during hospitalisation, and whether evidence of medical negligence can be established.

3. When the ex-PM, through her lawyers, sought to include her personal physicians in her treatment at Bangladesh Medical University, why this was not allowed and who obstructed the process.

"For the sake of a proper investigation, all medical records related to Khaleda Zia's treatment at BMU must be legally seized, and if necessary, those concerned should be barred from travelling abroad," he said.

Expressing hope for government action, Dr Siddiqui said the authorities should immediately contact Khaleda Zia's family and take the necessary legal steps. "We all know—justice delayed is justice denied," he added.