“BNP leader Khaleda Zia was admitted to our hospital. She’s now on the 5th floor of the Cabin Block,” BSMMU director Brigadier General Md Abdullah-Al-Harun told reports at a press briefing.
He said a 5-member fresh medical board, headed by Dr Abdul Jalil Chowdhury, a professor of medicine department, was formed as per the court order.
After her admission, Harun said, Prof Abdul Jalil examined Khaleda’s health and completed the necessary formalities for providing treatment to her.
He said the medical board will hold a meeting at 1 pm on Sunday to take a decision about her treatment. “We’ll be able to start her treatment after the medical board’s meeting.”
The other members of the board are Syed Atqiul Haq of Rheumatology department, Prof Sajal Krishna Banerjee of Cardiology department, Prof Nakul Kumar Datta of Orthopedic department and associate professor Dr Badrunnesa Ahmad of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation department of the BSMMU.
Asked about Khaleda’s physical condition, the BSMMU director said they will talk about it after the medical board’s meeting.
He said Khaleda talked to him and the BSMMU VC, and exchanged greetings with them when she was taken to the 5th floor of the Cabin Block.
The director said they have taken additional security measures following the BNP chief’s admission to the hospital.
Brigadier General Harun said they reconstituted the medical board for Khaleda following the apex court’s direction.
However, Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, secretary general of pro-BNP Doctors' Association of Bangladesh (DAB), alleged that the medical board was not formed following the High Court’s direction as three doctors of the board are members of Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip).
Talking to reporters at the BSMMU, he said the court directed the authorities concerned not to include any member of DAB or Swachip in the board. “But Sajal Krishna Banerjee, Nakul Kumar and Dr Badrunnesa Ahmad are the members of Swachip.”
Earlier, Khaleda was taken to the Cabin Block of the hospital in a white car of Dhaka Metropolitan Police around 3:40pm.
Hospital sources said she was kept in room No 611 on the 5th floor of the Cabin Block of the hospital. Earlier, the jail authorities booked room No 611 and 612 for Khaleda.
Several police vehicles escorted her to the hospital from the old Central Jail at Nazimuddin Road.
Earlier, her orthopedic bed was shifted from the central jail to the cabin block around 2:55 pm.
BSMMU director Brigadier General Harun-Ur-Rashid and other physicians were present when the car carrying Khaleda reached the hospital gate.
Clad in a pink sari, Khaleda stepped down from the vehicle amid rain around 3:45pm and sat down in a wheelchair. Later, she was taken to the fifth floor of the Cabin Block.
Several hundred BNP leaders and activists gathered on the Hospital premises to see their party chief, but police intercepted them from approaching Khaleda. They chanted various slogans braving rain demanding Khaleda’s release.
Senior BNP leaders, including its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee members Moudud Ahmed and Mirza Abbas, Zainul Abedin, AZM Zahid, Netai Roy Chowdhury, Amanullah Aman, Khairul Kabir Khokon and Nazimuddin Alam were, among others, present at the hospital.
A huge number of police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Detective Branch (DB) of police and Ansar members was deployed at the Hospital to maintain law and order and security.
Meanwhile, Jail Superintendent Iqbal Kabir of Keraniganj Central Jail met Khaleda in the morning.
The High Court on Thursday directed the government to immediately admit Khaleda Zia to the BSMMU and form a 5-member medical board afresh for her treatment.
Khaleda Zia was in the erstwhile Dhaka Central Jail at Nazimuddin Road since she was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8.
On September 16, a medical board formed by the government for jailed Khaleda, suggested admitting her to a hospital like BSMMU though they have found 'no symptom of any serious disease' in her.
On April 7 last, Khaleda Zia underwent some medical tests at the BSMMU because of her illness.
BNP has long been demanding that Khaleda be shifted to United Hospital in the city for her better treatment as the condition of her left hand and leg is very bad.
She was finally admitted to the BSMMU nearly eight months after she had been sent to jail.