Khaleda may have suffered mild stroke

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. File photo

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia may have suffered a mild stroke in jail on June 5, her personal physicians said after meeting her at the Old Central Jail on Nazimuddin Road in Dhaka yesterday.

"Khaleda Zia suddenly fell on the floor on June 5. She could not recall how it happened. It seems she suffered a mild stroke," Professor of Medicine SM Siddique, who was among the doctors, told reporters.

Around 4:00pm yesterday, a four-member team of doctors comprising Siddique, eye specialist Prof MA Quddus, Professor of Neuro-Medicine Syed Wahidur Rahman and Cardiologist Mohammad Al Mamun met Khaleda and examined her.

The doctors also recommended that the authorities concerned shift her to a specialised hospital and confirm through necessary tests whether she had suffered any stroke.

FM Siddique also handed over a four-page recommendation to the jail authorities to ensure Khaleda's treatment.

"She was stuttering but was communicating with us," Siddique said.

Mahmudul Hasan, a physician of the jail, told The Daily Star that four personal physicians of Khaleda met her and later gave some written advices to the jail authorities about her physical condition.

"We will forward the advice to the higher authorities," he said.

Responding to a query whether Khaleda had suffered a mild stroke, Mahmudul said, "I don't know about it."

But the BNP chief has been suffering from fever four days ago and her physical condition is now weak as she has been fasting, said sources in the jail.

On Friday, BNP announced that its leaders and activists would stage demonstrations across the country tomorrow demanding proper treatment of Khaleda.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed announced the programme at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan headquarters.

He said the programme would be observed in all cities, district towns and upazila headquarters across the country.

"It is very touching what her relatives told us after meeting her in jail today [Friday]. They said she [Khaleda] fell on the ground on June 5 following dizziness," Rizvi said at the briefing.

Khaleda has been suffering from severe fever for the last three weeks, but neither the government nor the jail authorities took any steps, Rizvi alleged.

On April 7, Khaleda was taken to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University from jail.

She was diagnosed there and the doctors claimed that time that the BNP chief was apparently healthy.

The BNP leaders, however, demanded her treatment at United Hospital saying she was being deprived of better treatment.

'KHALEDA TO BE TREATED'

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday said they would take steps for Khaleda's treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMUH) as per the prescription of her personal physicians, UNB reports.

He, however, said the prison authorities were not aware that she had collapsed as no one had seen it.

The minister made the comments when his attention was drawn to the matter during an Iftar Mahfil hosted by Inspector General of Prison at the convention centre of Department of Prison in Bakshibazar of the capital.