Shawdesh Desk:

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said their party chairperson Khaleda Zia, diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, rebled on Monday.

Fakhrul, however, said her condition is now better than it was last night as doctors tackled the danger. “Dr Zahid (Khaleda’s physician) phoned me last night (Monday night) and requested me to be at the hospital immediately…I went to Evercare Hospital around 12am and saw that the 10 doctors involved in Madam’s treatment were very worried. I also got sacred,” the BNP leader told a rally.

Fakhrul said he wanted to know from the doctors what actually happened to the BNP chief. “They replied Madam suffered what we had feared (Khaleda rebled. By the grace of Allah, the doctors could overcome the crisis as they did it thrice earlier through their tireless efforts.”

As part of its countrywide programme, BNP arranged the rally in front of its Nayapaltan central office, demanding Khaleda’s treatment abroad.

Fakhrul said Dr Zahid informed him this (Tuesday) morning that the BNP chief is now better than before. “But the doctors think the sign is not good at all. Because, they’ve clearly said there’s no treatment now here (Bangladesh) for the diseases she has been suffering from.”

He said doctors told them that the BNP chief must be sent abroad without further delay for her proper treatment.

Stating that Khaleda Zia has been fighting for life, the BNP leader bemoaned that a minister of the government said what the doctors narrated about Khaleda’s health condition at a press conference was taught by the BNP.

Hundreds of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies joined the rally.

Similar rallies were held in eight other divisional cities to mount pressure on the government to let Khaleda go abroad for advanced treatment.

Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital for various health complications since November 13.

Her medical board members on Sunday said Khaleda immediately needs to go abroad for better treatment as she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.

They also said Khaleda bled thrice and the third time bleeding was severe, impairing her liver function.

On behalf of her family, Khaleda’s younger brother, Shamim Iskander, submitted an application to the Home Ministry on November 11 urging the government to allow her to go abroad for better treatment.

However, Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government will consider Khaleda Zia’s appeal if she submits a fresh petition after returning to jail.