United News of Bangladesh

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who is undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, will not be flown to London for the time being as her health has not improved sufficiently for travel. A member of her medical board, wishing anonymity, told UNB on Monday (December 08, 2025) that Khaleda Zia’s recovery is still not at the level needed for an air trip. “Whenever one complication improves, another appears. While one health parameter is under control, another rises,” the doctor said. He said while her long-standing liver complication is being managed, the medical board remains concerned about her kidney problem. “So, our medical team has decided not to send her abroad until her condition improves further.” Read more: Khaleda’s London medical trip 'depends on her health condition' Khaleda Zia, 80, has been treated at Evercare Hospital since November 23 and was moved to the Critical Care Unit (CCU) on November 27 due to multiple health complications. Her treatment is supervised by a board led by cardiologist Professor Shahabuddin Talukder, including specialists from Evercare Hospital and from the UK, USA, and China. The former prime minister has long been suffering from multiple chronic illnesses, including arthritis, diabetes, kidney, liver, lung, heart, and eye problems. Currently, a medical board of around two dozen local and foreign specialists meets daily at Evercare to adjust her treatment. Another board member said her health is not worsening, but she is still at risk. “Advanced care is being given in the CCU. Each night, the board reviews her condition. Specialists discuss individual issues, adjust medications, change doses, or stop and restart medicines as needed.” He said Khaleda’s daughter-in-law Dr Zubaida Rahman, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s wife, attends the board meetings in person while meals are sent daily from her Gulshan home as advised by the doctors. Read more: Air ambulance delay likely to push Khaleda Zia’s London travel to Sunday Air Ambulance Not Arriving Tuesday The air ambulance arranged by the Emir of Qatar to fly Khaleda Zia to London will not arrive on Tuesday either as the operator has asked to cancel its previously approved landing at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. A senior official at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said Germany-based FAI Aviation Group submitted a formal request through a local agency to withdraw its earlier landing slot. Earlier, CAAB had approved the ambulance to land in Dhaka on Tuesday morning. The BNP had planned to fly Khaleda Zia to London on Friday for advanced treatment in a special air ambulance from Qatar. However, the flight was first delayed due to a “technical issue,” and later the Qatari embassy said the Emir’s special ambulance would not come and promised a replacement aircraft from Germany. BNP has not yet confirmed when the new air ambulance will arrive or when Khaleda Zia will be flown to London. Read more: Khaleda’s London trip to be delayed until she’s fit: Dr Zahid

The medical board treating BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is hopeful that she may recover in Bangladesh with proper treatment, even without being taken abroad. A doctor from the board, wishing anonymity, said on Sunday night (December 07, 2025) that her condition has slightly improved. “Madam is better than before. We are trying our best to treat her here. We believe she can recover with treatment in the country. She has been in more critical condition before and still recovered. It may not be necessary to take her to London,” he said. The physician also said several of Khaleda’s health parameters are improving. “CT scans, ECG and a few other tests were done on Sunday, and the results came back better.” Asked how long she will remain in the CCU, he said it depends on her physical improvement. “Local and foreign doctors are ensuring the best treatment. “Her daughter-in-law Dr Zubaida Rahman is coordinating treatment at her bedside. She will stay in Bangladesh for several more days.” Read more: No compromise with terrorism, extortion, drugs: Mirza Abbas The doctor also said Khaleda tries to speak at times with her family members. “Her younger brother, his wife and her two daughters-in-law have been constantly by her side.” Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson’s Adviser Dr Enamul Haque Chowdhury said on Sunday night that Khaleda will be taken to London as soon as the medical board makes the final decision. “The Qatar government will arrange an air ambulance whenever needed. This is not a problem. We are waiting for the board’s decision. With everyone’s prayers, we hope she will overcome this. If the board decides, she will be taken to London for advanced treatment. The hospital in London will be chosen later,” he said. Last Thursday, the medical board advised that she should be taken to the UK for advanced treatment. Read more: BNP to review NEIR policy if voted to power: Amir Khosru It was announced that, like in January, she would be flown to London on a special air ambulance provided by the Emir of Qatar. The air ambulance was expected to take her on Friday morning. However, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Friday that the air ambulance could not arrive due to technical issues. As per his announcement, the air ambulance was expected to reach Dhaka on Saturday, but it did not arrive on Sunday either. When it will come remains uncertain. As usual, Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, visited Evercare Hospital on Sunday afternoon to see Khaleda Zia. Dr Zubaida is also a member of Khaleda Zia’s medical board. She arrived in Dhaka on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight on Friday morning. She has since been closely monitoring Khaleda’s condition. Even when staying at her Dhanmondi residence, she receives updates on her mother-in-law over the phone, said Atiqur Rahman Rumon of the BNP Media Cell. The BNP chief has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital since November 23 and was moved to the Critical Care Unit on November 27 with multiple health complications. Her treatment is being supervised by a medical board led by cardiologist Professor Shahabuddin Talukder, which includes doctors from Evercare Hospital as well as specialists from the UK, USA and China. Read more: 10 injured in Gazipur-1 over BNP nomination dispute

Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, visited Evercare Hospital on Saturday afternoon (December 06, 2025) to be by the side of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who has been undergoing treatment there for the past two weeks. Atiqur Rahman Rumon, a member of the BNP Media Cell, said Zubaida reached the hospital at around 3:38pm after spending some time with her mother at their Dhanmondi residence, Mahbub Bhaban. “She is now in the CCU, staying by Begum Khaleda Zia’s bedside,” Rumon said. He said Zubaida returned to her father’s Dhanmondi home late on Wednesday night, where her mother, Syeda Iqbal Mandu Banu, is also staying. Read more: Zubaida goes to Evercare again at night Zubaida arrived in Dhaka on Friday morning from London on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight. She went straight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Evercare Hospital to see the BNP chief. Since her arrival, she has attended several meetings with members of Khaleda Zia’s medical board. Although she had been joining earlier meetings virtually, she met the board members in person for the first time on Friday. Rumon said Zubaida has been closely monitoring Khaleda Zia’s condition round the clock. “Even when she goes home, she stays in constant touch with the doctors by phone to stay updated about her mother-in-law’s health.” Read more: Air ambulance delay may slightly push back Khaleda Zia’s departure The BNP chief has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital since November 23 and was moved to the Critical Care Unit on November 27 with multiple health complications. Khaleda’s treatment is being supervised by a medical board led by Professor Shahabuddin Talukder, with both local and foreign specialists involved. Dr Zubaida Rahman — also a member of the medical board — arrived in Dhaka from London to accompany her mother-in-law abroad once she is cleared to fly. Read more: Tarique Rahman may return home anytime: Amir Khosru

Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, is coming to Dhaka to accompany her critically ill mother-in-law Begum Khaleda during her flight to the UK in a special air ambulance arranged by the Amir of Qatar for advanced treatment. BNP Media Cell member Atiqur Rahman Rumon said Zubaida is scheduled to fly from London at around 6pm (London time) by a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight. “The flight is expected to land in Dhaka around 9:30am Bangladesh time,” he said. Once in Dhaka, Rumon said, Zubaida will travel back to London in a Qatar air ambulance with the BNP Chairperson. Read more: Khaleda Zia to be flown to UK for advanced treatment: Fakhrul Zubaida, who is also a member of the medical board formed for Khaleda’s treatment, has been monitoring her health condition continuously through virtual consultations. Multiple BNP sources also confirmed that Dr Zubaida is returning home to accompany Khaleda. Earlier in the day, Mahdi Amin, an adviser to Tarique Rahman, said in a post on his verified Facebook account that Khaleda has shown some improvement and she will be admitted to a hospital in London. “Dr Zubaida Rahman is at the centre of this treatment process and is coordinating everything from London. She will leave for Bangladesh today and will try to reach Dhaka early tomorrow (Friday) morning so she can accompany the national leader on the highly sophisticated Qatar royal air ambulance to London,” he said. The former prime minister has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital since 23 November after being admitted with multiple health complications. As her condition worsened, she was shifted to the Critical Care Unit on 27 November, where she remains under close observation. Doctors said Khaleda Zia is receiving intensive care for several complications related to her liver, kidneys and heart. BNP sources said Tarique and Zubaida have completed all arrangements for Khaleda’s treatment at London Bridge Hospital in the UK. Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Khaleda may be flown to the United Kingdom early Friday for advanced treatment by a royal air ambulance provided by the Amir of Qatar. He said all necessary procedures for Khaleda’s travel have already been completed. “You may already know who will accompany her. A team of doctors will travel with Madam.” Read more: Who’re accompanying Khaleda Zia to London? The BNP leader said the royal air ambulance is equipped with very modern facilities. “It has everything available, even an operation theatre.” On 8 January, Khaleda Zia travelled to London in a special air ambulance sent by the Amir of Qatar for advanced medical treatment and returned home on 6 May in the same aircraft. Dr Zubaida accompanied Khaleda during her return home at that time, ending her 17 years of stay in London. Zubaida had stayed in Dhaka for a month before returning to London on 5 June. This time, she is arriving again mainly to accompany the former Prime Minister abroad for better medical care. Tarique Rahman, Dr Zubaida and their daughter Zaima Rahman have been living in London since 2008. Zubaida passed the MBBS examination with top merit and started her career as a government doctor after qualifying in the BCS examination in 1995. She secured first place in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS-Health) examination. Sheikh Hasina’s government dismissed her from service after she went to London on study leave in 2008. After settling in London, Zubaida completed a postgraduate degree in medicine from Imperial College. Read more: Air ambulance delay may slightly push back Khaleda Zia’s departure

A specialist physician from the United Kingdom, Dr Richard Beale, arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday (December 03) to assist in the treatment of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. He reached Evercare Hospital around 10:30 am and joined the ongoing medical efforts for the ailing former prime minister. In addition to the UK specialist, another medical team from China is scheduled to arrive today to support her treatment, though their arrival was originally planned for Tuesday (December 02). Read more: Khaleda’s health still fragile, doctors report no improvement Earlier on Monday, a five-member medical team from China had already arrived in Dhaka. According to the medical board overseeing her treatment, the team expected this evening is the main group. On Tuesday, Khaleda Zia’s personal physician, Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, briefed reporters about her health condition, urging patience. Read more: Concern for Khaleda Zia goes far beyond BNP, says Rizvi He said the BNP chief is currently able to receive the treatments prescribed by the medical board, and there is hope for her recovery. Dr Hossain added that the medical board will decide whether she needs advanced treatment abroad, with the UK specialist present to assist in that assessment. Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital on November 23 with multiple health complications. Her condition worsened on November 27, prompting doctors to transfer her to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU), where she remains under intensive treatment. Read more: Army, Navy, Air chiefs visit Khaleda at Evercare