‘There’s no such information to me that she’s very sick. The physicians check her regularly and the prison authorities are also taking care of her’
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said that a medical board will be formed to check the health condition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and make necessary recommendations for her treatment.
He came up with the information while talking to reporters after a meeting with a seven-member delegation of BNP, led by the party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, at the Secretariat, reports UNB.
“The BNP delegation during the meeting also submitted a written statement saying their chairperson is sick,” he said.
Kamal said that BNP earlier had made a request to admit Khaleda to a specialized hospital, but on Sunday they submitted the written statement in this regard.
“As per the statement, we have asked the Public Security Division secretary under the Home Ministry and the inspector general of prisonsto form a medical board with government and Khaleda’s personal physicians in it.
“They will conduct medical tests and steps will be taken, if needed, based on their recommendations.”
Asked when will the medical board be formed, he said: “It’ll be formed soon.”
The home minister said that Khaleda was suffering from various diseases, including arthritis. “Following BNP’srequest, we have allowed an attendant to stay with her in the jail. Physiotherapists, physicians and pharmacists are going to jail regularly to check her. We have also provided her with all the facilities to her as per the Jail Code,” he added
Replying to a question whether there was any possibility of taking Khaleda to another hospital, he said: “She’s allowed to receive treatment at government hospitals as per the Jail Code. I’ve told them (BNP) before that there’re many public hospitals other than Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital but they didn’t agree…”
In response to another query, Kamal said: “She’ll be taken to any specialized hospital if the physicians think there’s no required facility at BSMMU and other government hospitals.Then we’ll look into it.”
Asked about Khaleda’s current health condition, he said “There’s no such information to me that she’s very sick. The physicians check her regularly and the prison authorities are also taking care of her.”
Insisted whether Khaleda wouldbe taken where she will feel comfortable, the home minister said: “There’s no scope to consider it according to the Jail Code.”
During the meeting with himat his office, the BNP delegation requested the minister to take necessary steps for ensuring better medical treatment of their ailing chairperson at the United Hospital in Gulshan.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, senior BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul said, “Our Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s health condition is deteriorating. We came here to urge the minister to take necessary steps for her treatment in a specialized hospital.”
“The home minister said they’ll decide about it after holding a meeting,” he added.
Fakhrul said that the BNP chief preferred United Hospital to receive her medical treatment.
BNP Standing Committee members KhandakerMosharraf Hossain, Jamir Uddin Sircar, Rafiqul Islam Miah, Mirza Abbas, Abdul Moyeen Khan and Nazrul Islam Khan were among the delegation members.
Source: Dhaka Tribune.
