US-Bangla pilot Abid Sultan’s wife on life support

Afsana Khanam, the widow of Abid Sultan, who piloted the US-Bangla flight that crashed in Kathmandu, has been put on life support.

Afsana was admitted to Dhaka’s National Institute of Neuroscience and Hospital on Sunday after she suffered a stroke.

"The condition is very critical. We are trying to do everything. Another medical board will be formed tomorrow,” Prof Badrul Alam, joint director of the hospital, told bdnews24.com confirming that she was on life support.

A surgery was conducted on Afsana following a decision by the medical board after she was brought to the hospital. She was put in the ICU.

“We hoped that her condition would improve following the surgery. But the opposite happened,” Associate Professor Siraji Shariful Islam of the hospital told bdnews24.com around 5pm Monday.

Afsana’s condition is worse than before, said Abid’s friend Mahim Hossain.

“Abid’s brother is a doctor. He brought Abid’s mortal remains from Nepal. We will consult the doctors once the funeral services are done,” Mahim said.

The US-Bangla flight crashed during its landing in Kathmandu on Mar 12, killing 49, including 26 Bangladeshi nationals.

The US-Bangla authorities initially stated that Captain Abid Sultan had been hospitalised with injuries, but confirmed his death the next day.

“We told Afsana Khanam the news, but she could not believe it,” a close friend of Abid told bdnews24.com. “She recovered a bit after she heard he was alive. But she broke down completely after hearing the news of his death.”

The couple has a 16-year-old son.