Khaleda Zia to Get Angiogram Test after Hospitalisation

A team of doctors overseeing the care of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital has recommended an angiogram test to check the condition of her heart.

The medical team made the decision at an emergency meeting on Saturday afternoon, said Prof AZM Zahid Hossain, Khaleda’s personal physician.

“Madam had an acute heart attack. The doctors have decided to do an angiogram as quickly as possible.”

“The panel has also instructed members of her family to make preparations to take Madam abroad for advanced treatment.”

Preparations are being taken to conduct the angiogram around 2-2:30 pm, a member of her medical team said.

The panel led by cardiologist Dr Shahabuddin Talukder, sat at 10:30 am on Saturday to discuss the BNP chief’s condition and analyse her reports.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also attend the board’s meeting.

“She suddenly fell ill at her Gulshan home. We rushed her to Evercare Hospital in the car of her younger brother Shamim Eskander around 3 am [Saturday]," AZM Zahid Hossain said after the BNP chief was taken ill.

Khaleda had a ‘routine’ health check-up at the private hospital on Apr 6.

She has been suffering from arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye issues for a long time. She was diagnosed with COVID-19 and spent 81 days in hospital care last year.

She also experienced bleeding in the digestive tract and liver cirrhosis later in November.

Khaleda was convicted in two graft cases and was taken to jail three years ago. In April 2020, in the light of the COVID pandemic, the government granted a request from her family for a conditional temporary release from jail for “humanitarian reasons”.

She has since stayed at her Gulshan home under the care of her personal doctors and has had limited interaction with others.

Khaleda’s family has petitioned the government several times for permission to take her abroad for medical treatment. The government has repeatedly denied the request, claiming it is impossible under the current law that allows her to stay out of jail.