Gonoshasthaya Kendra's founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Sunday made a humanitarian call to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to take steps for ensuring bail to ailing BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

In a statement, he said, “As a physician, I make a humanitarian request to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed and the government to take steps to give bail to ailing Begum Khaleda Zia."

Stating that Khaleda has long been suffering from various complicated diseases, Zafrullah said her health condition has deteriorated from all sides.

“Her diabetes is completely out of control while hemoglobin level in her blood has also dropped significantly. She has been suffering for many years from arthritis, dental and eye problems. The creatinine level of her kidneys has crossed the borderline,” he said.

Zafrullah, also a freedom fighter, said Khaleda has to remain now under intensive treatment as some parameters in her body are abnormal. “She’s very weak physically. She has already been infected with coronavirus.”

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The noted doctors said it is not a good sign that Khaleda has been frequently getting admitted to the hospital for treatment.

In this situation, he said Khaleda now needs to move freely in the open air and take treatment as per her wish.

“Her crucial need is bail from the Prime Minister and the government considering her physical condition, age and political and social position,” Zafrullah observed.

Khaleda has been undergoing treatment in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of Evercare Hospital in the capital.

On Saturday, she was readmitted to the hospital for follow-up treatment, nearly a week after she was discharged from it.

It is for the third time that the 76-year-old BNP chief was admitted to the hospital this year for various health complications.

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The BNP chief's physicians said she has been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, ophthalmological and dental complications.

Her family applied to the government twice in May and August this year seeking permission to take her abroad for better treatment, but the government turned it down saying there is no scope for a convicted person to avail of such a scope.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year.

On September 19, the government for the fourth time extended the suspension of her jail term with conditions that she will not leave the country and stay at her Gulshan home.