The sub-committee of ruling Awami League's health and population affairs formed a team to provide telemedicine service to the citizens.

A press release signed by Office Secretary Biplob Barua said the team includes specialised doctors such as ggynaecologists, medicine and surgery experts, ENT specialists, eye specialists, cardiologists,  dentists and paediatricians.

It said the doctors are ready to provide services round the clock.

The service seekers can contact the doctors through their mobile numbers.

Health and Population Affairs Secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana said they are getting response from the general people.

She said the service is also available at the division and district levels.

It will help the service seekers get their desired health queries answered by specialiist doctors without visiting hospitals, she added. 

Despite having ‘serious’ illness, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, now quarantined, feels 'mentally relaxed, said party Vice Chairman Dr AZM Zahid Hossain.

He said the BNP chief’s daughter-in-law and her elder son Tarique Rahman's wife Dr Zubaida Rahman are overseeing her treatment from London.

Zahid, also former secretary general of pro-BNP physician’s body Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB), said 75-year-old Khaleda has been given necessary treatment though she has been in quarantine.

“Although she's seriously ill, she now feels comfortable at the homely environment. Her mental strength has boosted. The exhaustion which was visible in her appearance is also gradually improving.”

He said Dr Zubaida Rahman, a cardiologist, is supervising Khaled’s overall treatment.

Zahid said the BNP chief has been in quarantine on the 1st floor of her Gulshan residence 'Firoza' as per the advice of her physicians. “A nurse and some healthcare service providers who look after her also remain in quarantine in the house.”

He said the nurse and the other health workers are providing Khaleda services maintaining proper rules and specific distance.

UNB File Photo

The DAB leader said Khaleda feels comfortable now as she can communicate with her loved ones through mobile and inform doctors about her complications. “She’s spending time at the entire homely atmosphere by sometimes lying down, sitting down and reading books.”

About the treatment, Prof Zahid said a team of her personal specialist physicians has modified some of the medications given by the medical board of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), where she had been receiving treatment since April 1 last year until she was temporarily released on Wednesday.

He said Khaleda has severe pain in the joints of her hands and feet due to rheumatoid arthritis. “So, her doctors have brought some changes in the treatment to help relieve the pain.”

The DAB leader also said Khaleda has become mentally distressed due to loneliness in the prison. “She has weaknesses and lost 9-10 kg weight. She has also diabetic problem.”

“We hope she’ll get well through the treatment by her personal doctors. We think her diabetic problem will also improve gradually if everything can be brought under a system,” he said.

Zahid said no-one, except her doctors and close relatives, are allowed to enter Khaleda’s house Firoza.

Earlier on Wednesday, Khaleda was released from jail for six months upon an execute order considering her age and humanitarian ground.

The government passed the executive order for her release on two conditions -- receiving treatment staying at her Gulshan residence and not leaving the country.

Khaleda was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after she had been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a special court in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018.

The High Court later raised her punishment to 10 years in the case following an appeal by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The lower court also sentenced imprisoned Khaleda to seven years in Zia Charitable Trust corruption the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated.

After staying for 787 days in the party’s Nayapaltan central office, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi returned home on Thursday, a day after party chairperson Khaleda Zia was freed from jail for six months.

Rizvi left the BNP office around 2:15pm with bag and baggage for his Adabar house in the city.

Amid the police drive against BNP leaders and speculation about sending Khaleda to jail in graft cases, Rizvi took position at the BNP office on January 30, 2018 and has been regularly holding press briefings about the party’s different issues and decision.

He used to say in tinny room on the second floor of the BNP office.

Talking to UNB, he said, “I stayed in the party office for 787 days, since the very beginning of a political transition in the country. As law enforcers started arresting our leaders and activists in a wholesale manner, I took shelter in the office to continue the party’s political activities. But our chairperson was sent to jail on February 8 that year.”

He further said, “After she went to jail, I took a vow that I would stay in the party office until her release. Since she was released yesterday (Wednesday), I’ve decided to go back home.”

Rizvi said he will regularly visit the office to carry out party’s political activities though he returned home.

Khaleda was released from jail on Wednesday for six months upon an execute order considering her age and humanitarian ground.

The government passed the executive order for her release on two conditions -- receiving treatment staying at her Gulshan residence and not leaving the country.

Khaleda was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after she had been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a special court in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018.

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Thursday said that a national consensus was needed to beat Coronavirus through awareness.

"We are observing that a quarter is criticizing the speech of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina without analysing the crisis and its possibilities. Where a national consensus is needed to overcome the unwanted crisis through awareness, they are trying to do divisive politics," he said. 

Obaidul Quader made his remarks at a press conference in the political office of AL President Sheikh Hasina.

He said the government is working relentlessly under the leadership of the Prime Minister  despite its limitations.

He also said  Prime Minister Hasina presented her government's workplan and guidelines in her speech without presenting any imaginary and impractical promises to end the crisis. 

Quader said Hasina mentioned some short term plans for the people which will be very effective.  He also called upon the people to stay home to help the government tackle the situation smoothly.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was released on Wednesday from jail for six months following an executive order, will remain in quarantine for a few days at her Gulshan residence as per her physicians’ advice.

Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came up with the information while talking to journalists after meeting Khaleda Zia along with BNP standing committee members at her house on Wednesday night.

“We just met madam (Khaleda). She’s very sick. Physicians visited her and discussed ways of ensuring her treatment. They advised us to keep her in quarantine for some days so that no-one can meet her now,” he said.

The BNP leader, however, said they did not discuss any political matters with her.

He said Khaleda urged the country’s people and BNP leaders and activists to remain alert and maintain protective measures to get rid of coronavirus disaster.

Asked for how many days Khaleda may remain there in quarantine, he said doctors will decide it.

Earlier, the BNP chief reached her Gulshan residence around 5:15pm after walking out of the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

The government passed the executive order for her release upon two conditions -- receiving treatment staying at her Gulshan residence and not leaving the country.

Meanwhile, ‘Firoza’, the luxury home of Khaleda at Road No 79 in Dhaka’s Gulshan area which turned into an abandoned house since she went to jail, was prepared for her comfortable stay there.

On Tuesday, said Law Minister Annisul Huq said the government decided to free Khaleda’s sentences suspending her sentences in two grafts cases as per section 401 (1) of Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC).

Khaleda was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after she had been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a special court in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018.

The High Court later raised her punishment to 10 years in the case following an appeal by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The lower court also sentenced imprisoned Khaleda to seven years in Zia Charitable Trust corruption the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated.

She was admitted to BSMMU on April 1 2019 following an order of the apex court.