Khaleda’s life at risk; needs urgent liver transplant: Medical board

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s death risk is very high, said her medical board on Monday.

“Khaleda Zia is not getting the treatment she needs at the moment for liver cirrhosis. She needs to be taken abroad for an urgent liver transplant,” Professor FM Siddique, a member of the BNP chief’s medical board, said at a press conference at the Evercare Hospital in the capital.

Due to a liver infection, water is accumulating in her stomach again and again, he added.

“High doses of antibiotics are not working. Water from the stomach reaches the heart. For this, she has already been taken to CCU twice,” the doctor said.

Earlier on October 1, the Law Ministry turned down BNP Chairperson’s application to go abroad for better treatment.

Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government has no scope to legally permit Khaleda Zia to go abroad for treatment.

The Law Ministry gave this opinion upon receiving an application sent by the Home Ministry in response to the request of the family of the former prime minister.

On September 25, Khaleda Zia’s younger brother Shamim Eskander filed an application with the Home Ministry seeking permanent release for treatment abroad. The application was later sent to the Law Ministry from the Home Ministry.