The 19-member medical board, formed for the treatment of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at Evercare Hospital in the capital, is going to meet this evening to review her condition. Professor Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, a personal physician of Khaleda , said the medical board will sit at the meeting at 5pm. He said doctors at the meeting will review the BNP chief’s condition and different reports to decide her next course of treatment. Also read: Send Khaleda abroad for treatment to evade public wrath: BNP to govt Dr Zahid  said Khaleda is still under the observation of doctors in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU). “Her cardiac point is not yet completely stable”. He said the medical board headed by Prof Shahabuddin Talukder has been observing the BNP chief’s condition and ensuring proper treatment to her. “Nothing can be said about her condition before 72 hours are passed.” Earlier on Sunday, he said three blockages were found in the arteries of the BNP chairperson through a coronary angiogram test conducted on Saturday. Zahid, also a BNP vice chairman, said Khaleda suffered a heart attack due to around a 95 per cent blockage in her left artery. “A stent has been placed there by removing the blockage.” About two other blockages, Zahid said doctors will take proper measures in this regard after observing her condition as she has chronic kidney and liver problems. Earlier, Khaleda, was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital in the early hours of Saturday as she suddenly fell ill. Also read: Khaleda has two more blockages in arteries; kept under 72-hrs observation A ring (stent) was placed in the main artery of her heart on Saturday afternoon. Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has long been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye problems.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, now undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital, was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, her medical board member Dr FM Siddique said on Sunday. “We’ve already informed Madam’s close relatives that she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, and asked them to take steps to send her abroad as soon as possible,” he told a press conference at the BNP chief’s Gulshan residence. The doctor said Khaleda’s condition is now stable but it can deteriorate anytime in the case of further bleeding from her liver. “The bleeding has stopped now, but re-bleeding can start anytime. If it happens, her life will be at high risk,” he said. He said they now feel very helpless over the current condition of Khaleda for lack of technology to treat her. The physician said Khaleda needs to go to an advanced medical centre abroad urgently for her treatment by applying “TIPS’ technology. Read: Khaleda free, not in govt custody: Law Minister He also feared that a time may come when it will be difficult or impossible to shift Khaleda abroad. Dr Siddique said Khaleda already bled thrice and the third time bleeding was severe, impairing her liver function. "In the last 24 hours, there was no bleeding. “There’s a 50 percent possibility of rebleeding in the next week while 70 percent within the next six weeks. This is obvious.” "We don't have the supportive technology to control or stop it if Madame bleeds again, we're afraid. If she bleeds again, the risk of her death will increase a lot,” the physician said.

BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Saturday warned that there will be a mass upsurge in the country if anything bad happens to Khaleda Zia for lack of treatment as people will not remain silent. "People won’t play the role of a silent spectator, if you (govt) kill the most popular leader of the country, Begum Khaleda Zia, without treatment,” he told a human-chain programme. The BNP leader said people will not accept the conspiracy of the government against Khaleda Zia as they did not accept the Agartala “conspiracy” case in the past. “There’ll be a mass uprising, and the movement will be carried out in a democratic process.” He urged people to get ready to intensify BNP’s current movement in a peaceful manner. Read: Khaleda needs to go abroad for immediate liver treatment: Fakhrul Jatiya Party (Qazi Zafar), one of the allies of the 20-party alliance, arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad. Nazrul, a BNP standing committee member, said physicians at the largest hospital in Bangladesh are saying Khaleda has some complications that cannot be treated here while prominent lawyers are saying there is no legal bar to sending her abroad for advanced treatment under the current situation. “But the government, which has been in power without people’s votes, won’t allow our leader to go outside the country for advanced treatment. Where the law is not a barrier and humanity is needed, what’s the justification of obstructing her (from going abroad)?” he questioned. Read: Rumour mill goes into overdrive over Khaleda’s health: Fakhrul The BNP leader alleged that the government is not willing to let Khaleda go abroad for advanced treatment out of political vengeance. “They (govt) are now using the state machinery and the state power to take their political revenge.” Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital for various health complications, including that of liver, cardiac and kidneys, since November 13.

The family of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has once again submitted an application to the government to send the ailing former prime minister abroad for advanced treatment. On behalf of the family, Khaleda's younger brother, Shamim Iskander, submitted the application to the Home Ministry on Thursday, said a senior BNP leader wishing anonymity. “Madam's (Khaleda’s) younger brother, Shamim Iskander, submitted the application to the government on Thursday urging the government to allow her going abroad for better treatment,” said the BNP leader close to Khaleda. Also read: Khaleda Zia shifted to CCU In the application, he said, the government’s cooperation was sought to send Khaleda abroad either by granting her bail through the court or giving permission. Khaleda’s personal medical team member Dr Azm Zahid Hossain also confirmed the matter, saying it is for the fifth time the BNP chief’s family sought the government’s permission to take her abroad. Her family applied to the government last time in August this year 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. 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. Also read: Khaleda’s biopsy report sent abroad for review: Dr Zahid It is for the third time that the 76-year-old BNP chief was admitted to the hospital this year for various health complications. The BNP chief's physicians said she has been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, ophthalmological and dental complications. A physician at her medical team said Khaleda is now suffering from a critical cardiac problem while her blood sugar is out of control and hemoglobin level in her blood has dropped. 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.