Khaleda returns home from hospital after 54 days

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday returned home after undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at Evercare Hospital in the capital for 54 days.

She arrived at her residence Firoza in Gulshan by the car of her younger brother Shamim Eskander at 8:30pm.

Shamim and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir welcomed her after she had reached home. 

Earlier in the day, a 10-member medical board reviewed her health condition and concluded that she could be treated at home.

Dr Mohammad Al Mamun, a member of Khaleda's personal physicians' team, said the medical team would provide her treatment for her underlying health complications at her residence. 

Fakhrul went to the hospital in the afternoon and talked to the medical board.

In the evening, Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, another member of the medical team, told reporters Khaleda had been given clearance after the medical board's decision.

The BNP chairperson had been undergoing treatment at the hospital since 27 April.

On 14 April, she was diagnosed with Covid-19 and initially took treatment at home.

She was admitted to the hospital on 27 April and was later moved to the coronary care unit (CCU) on an emergency basis after she had suffered breathing problems.

On 9 May, she recovered from Covid-19.

The BNP chief was sentenced to 17 years in prison in two corruption cases and was released in March last year for six months after her sentence was suspended.

Her bail was extended later.