Khaleda Zia to be flown to London Friday as medical board decides on her immediate transfer
The unanimous decision has been made by her medical board, which now includes the recently arrived specialist teams from China and the UK, says Dr AZM Zahid Hossain
The medical board treating BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is currently in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, has reached a unanimous decision to immediately transfer her to London for advanced medical care.
Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, has left London for Dhaka and is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Friday morning (5 December).
Upon arrival, she is expected to accompany her ailing mother-in-law, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, back to London for advanced medical treatment, according to BNP Media Cell.
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Earlier in the day, Khaleda's personal physician Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain said the transfer, using a Qatari royal air ambulance, is expected to take place after Thursday midnight or by Friday morning (5 December).
Addressing a press briefing outside the hospital this afternoon, Dr Zahid confirmed that the decision for the urgent transfer was 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.
"Last night [3 December], the medical board unanimously decided that, considering her current physical condition, she will be taken to London on the Qatar Royal Air Ambulance, either after midnight or by tomorrow morning," said Dr Zahid, also a member of the BNP's Standing Committee.
He did not specify the exact hospital in London to which the former prime minister will be admitted.
"Several doctors and specialists will accompany her [Khaleda] during the journey, along with two foreign doctors. There will also be aeronautical physicians on the plane so that any issues that occur en route can be treated. All preparations are complete to that end," he added.
He also took a moment to thank all well-wishers and urged the nation to pray as the critically ill BNP chief undertakes the risky international journey.
In response to a query by a journalist, however, Dr Zahid did not explicitly comment on the current health condition of Khaleda Zia.
Who will accompany Khaleda?
Around the same time as the briefing, the BNP released a list of 14 passengers who would be accompanying Khaleda Zia on the flight to London.
They include her daughter-in-law Syeda Sharmila Rahman; physicians Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain, Fakhruddin Mohammad Siddiqui, Md Shahabuddin Talukder, Nooruddin Ahmad, Md Zafor Iqbal and Mohammad Al Mamun; Special Security Force (SSF) officials Hasan Shahriar Iqbal and Syed Samin Mahfuz.
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman's assistant Md Abdul Hai Mollick; Khaleda's Assistant Private Secretary Md Masuder Rahman; and housemaids Fatema Begum and Rupa Sikdar are also among the passengers.
Meanwhile, the news of the scheduled transfer coincided with a BBC Bangla report which said the Zia family is preparing to take Khaleda abroad, and Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of Tarique and a member of Khaleda's medical board, is expected to arrive in Dhaka from London soon.
She is expected to assess Khaleda's physical status before possibly accompanying her on the flight, it said, citing multiple high-level sources within the BNP.
Khaleda, 79, has been in the hospital's CCU since 27 November, battling severe infections of the lungs and heart, complicated by chronic kidney and cardiac issues.
The interim government has already offered all kinds of support for her transfer abroad for advanced medical care.
The BNP and the government have both called for nationwide prayers tomorrow for her recovery.
The push for medical transfer gained momentum today (4 December) after the Qatar government announced its readiness to provide an air ambulance for the former prime minister's travel abroad, responding to a request from the BNP.
Earlier, on 1 December, a five-member high-level medical team from China arrived in the country to support Khaleda's treatment, while another team of specialist doctors arrived in Dhaka on 3 December to bolster the efforts.
Additionally, a four-member specialist medical team from the UK arrived in Dhaka on the same day to assist in the treatment process.
Leaving Firoza for Evercare
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. She was last admitted to the same hospital on 15 October, where she stayed for a day to undergo routine health check-ups.
Earlier, on 8 January this year, Khaleda had 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 spending four months in the UK.
