BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia suddenly fell sick in Nazimuddin Road old central jail yesterday, said party Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Talking to UNB, he also said party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's scheduled meeting with Khaleda was postponed due to her illness.

He said Fakhrul was scheduled to meet the BNP chief in the jail around 3:00pm.

Rizvi said Fakhrul returned halfway through after he got the information about Khaleda's illness.

He said they came to know that a medical team was asked to visit the BNP chief and examine her health condition.

A party senior leader, wishing anonymity, said the jail authorities informed Khaleda's personal secretary Abdus Sattar at noon that the BNP chief fell sick.

Despite repeated attempts, the jail authorities declined making any comment on it.

On March 7, seven BNP standing committee members and Abdus Sattar met Khaleda. After their meeting, the BNP leaders said their party chief's health condition was fine.

On February 8, a special court in Dhaka sentenced Khaleda to five years' rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

Khaleda, a 73-year-old former prime minister, was taken to the old central jail minutes after the verdict had been delivered.