It's urgent to send Khaleda abroad for treatment: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday expressed concern over the worsening physical condition of their party chairperson Khaleda Zia as doctors again advised her to be sent abroad immediately for treatment at an advanced centre.

"I was there in the hospital (Evercare) yesterday (Friday). The doctors of the medical board are very worried. They're not sure whether her treatment will eventually be possible if she's not immediately sent abroad for advanced treatment," he said.

Talking to reporters after offering fateha at the grave of the BNP chief's late son Arafat Rahman Koko, Fakhrul said the doctors told him that it is urgent to send Khaleda abroad for her proper treatment.

"I would like to clearly tell the authorities concerned to immediately release our leader Begum Khaleda Zia and take steps for her proper treatment overseas," he said.

Otherwise, the BNP leader warned that people will create a mass upsurge intensifying the ongoing one-point movement for ensuring the unconditional release of Khaleda.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital on Wednesday night on the advice of a medical board formed for her treatment as she fell sick again.

She has now been receiving treatment at the hospital under a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.

Her personal doctor A ZM Zahid Hossain said Khaleda's liver problems worsened and she was suffering from fever. Fakhrul visited the BNP chief on Friday evening and talked to the doctors about her physical condition.

Earlier on June 13, the BNP chairperson was admitted to the same hospital and received treatment for a few days after she suddenly fell sick with a fever and stomachache.

Khaleda, a 78-year-old former prime minister, has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.

Fakhrul along with BNP leaders and activists went to Koko's grave at Banani in the morning and offered fateha there, marking the 54th birthday of the late younger son of Khaleda and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.

On January 24, 2015, Koko died of cardiac arrest at the age of 45 at a rented house in Malaysia.

After visiting the grave premises, Fakhrul alleged that Koko lost his life prematurely due to direct and indirect torture and torture by the interim regime of Fakhruddin-Moyeenuddin after the 1/11 political changeover in 2007.

"It's very unfortunate that the Moyeenuddin-Fakhruddin regime shamelessly and brutally tortured our extraordinary sports organiser. He fell ill due to physical torture and died while undergoing treatment in Malaysia," he said.
On Koko's birthday, Fakhrul said they offered his grave and prayed for the salvation of his departed soul.