Arrival of Khaleda's air ambulance pushed to Saturday due to technical issues: Fakhrul
The air ambulance is not arriving today due to technical issues, says Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, initially expected to be taken to London for advanced treatment today (5 December), may now leave for the capital of England on Sunday, as the arrival of a royal air ambulance sent by the Qatari emir has been delayed.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the air ambulance is not arriving today due to technical issues, according to a message sent to the media by BNP Media Cell Member Shairul Kabir Khan.
If everything goes well, it may arrive tomorrow, Fakhrul added.
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"If Madam's [Khaleda] health permits travel and her medical board gives its approval, then, InshaAllah, she will fly out on the 7th (Sunday)," he said.
Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport this morning after leaving London for Dhaka.
Upon arrival, she is expected to accompany her ailing mother-in-law, Khaleda Zia, back to London for advanced medical treatment, according to the BNP Media Cell.
Khaleda's personal physician Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain had said yesterday that the BNP chief's transfer, by a Qatari royal air ambulance, was expected to take place by this morning.
Addressing a press briefing outside Evercare Hospital, where Khalda has been undergoing treatment, in the afternoon, Dr Zahid confirmed that the decision for the urgent transfer had been made following consultations among all members of the medical board, which now includes the recently arrived specialist teams from China and the United Kingdom, as well as local doctors.
The former prime minister has long been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and kidney, lung, heart and eye problems.
On 23 November, Khaleda left her Gulshan residence, Firoza, for Evercare Hospital at around 7:30pm and has been receiving treatment there since then.
Earlier, on 8 January this year, Khaleda travelled to London. Upon arrival, she was admitted to the London Clinic, a private hospital, where she remained under the care of renowned specialists Prof Patrick Kennedy and Prof Jennifer Cross for 17 days.
From 25 January, she received treatment and stayed at the London residence of her eldest son Tarique. The BNP chief then returned to Dhaka on 6 May after four months in the UK.
