We are feeling helpless over Khaleda’s health condition: Doctor
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's personal physician said that she requires the treatment "Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)" as she is suffering from internal bleeding in the stomach.
"This is the only life-saving treatment for her. But the technology is not available in the Indian subcontinent, or even in Bangkok or Singapore," said Khaleda's doctor Professor Fakhruddin Mohammad Siddiqui while briefing the media on her current physical condition yesterday.
TIPS is an artificial channel within the liver that establishes communication between the inflow portal vein and the outflow hepatic vein.
He also added that the doctors are feeling helpless as they do not have a clear idea of the exact source of her recent episodes of internal bleeding in the stomach.
He said, "Since the night of 14 November, she has been under extreme treatment owing to which we have had to resuscitate her from a state of shock."
Khaleda is suffering from liver cirrhosis, reported the doctor, emphasising that she needs to be sent abroad immediately for better treatment.
Fakhruddin further stated her prognosis saying that her hemoglobin levels have dropped several times, she vomited blood and her internal bleeding is causing her to run black stool.
After repeated procedures, including a challenging method of deep sedation amongst other adversities, of resuscitating her from going into shocks, the doctors have rendered her condition stable, as of right now.
"She has had no bleeding in the last 24 hours. But in the next week, there is a 50% chance of re-bleeding, and 70% in the 6th week," the doctor reported.
Khaleda barred from going abroad due to vengeance: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that the government is not allowing Khaleda Zia to go abroad for medical treatment due to "political vengeance".
"Today, people of the country remain imprisoned. No one can speak their mind. Khaleda Zia is the only leader who can bring back democracy," Fakhrul told a protest rally organised by BNP's voluntary wing Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal in front of the Jatiya Press Club yesterday morning.
Demanding the release of Khaleda Zia and her treatment abroad, the BNP secretary general said, "Bangladesh needs her [Khaleda] for stability and peace."
Khaleda is free, not in govt custody: Anisul Huq
Khaleda Zia is free and not in government custody anymore, said Law Minister Anisul Huq in the parliament yesterday.
"She [Khaleda] is definitely free. She is obviously not in our custody or in government custody. Staying here, she can receive treatment anywhere she wants, and she is doing so," said the law minister in response to BNP Lawmaker Rumeen Farhana's claim that Khaleda Zia is still in government custody.
The BNP lawmaker said if anything happens to the BNP leader, the government will have to bear the full responsibility as she has been in government custody for the last three years.
Rumeen said, "The law minister earlier said Khaleda Zia has to go back to jail for going abroad as there is no scope to reconsider a disposed application under section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedures."
"But there is nothing like this in that section. The provision in that section gives the government unlimited authority to take any decision in this regard," she added.
For the last several days, BNP leaders and activists across the country have been staging protests to press home their demands and clashed with law enforcers at different places of the country.
BNP lawmakers had earlier threatened to step down if their party leader was not allowed to go abroad.
The BNP chief landed in jail in February 2018 in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. On 30 October that year, the High Court extended her punishment to 10 years dismissing her appeal.
Following the outbreak of Covid-19, the government on 25 March last year granted her temporary release on conditions at the request of her family. Till now, the term of her release has been extended four times.
She is still facing at least 36 ongoing cases.
