Medical team visits BNP chief Khaleda in jail

The medical team formed for the treatment of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia visited her in jail on Saturday.

The medical team entered the Old Dhaka jail on Nazimuddin Road at 3:40pm on Saturday.

The five-member medical board headed by Prof Abdul Jalil of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital or BSMMU was formed on Thursday.

Prof Harisul Haque of the cardiology department, Prof Abu Savar Chowdhury of the orthopaedic surgery department, Associate Prof Tarek Reza Ali of the ophthalmology department and Associate Prof Badrunnessa Ahmed of the physical medicine department, are part of the board. 

The medical team could not visit Khaleda at the scheduled time at 11am as the BNP chief did not permit them to meet her, said Prof Jalil.

But the physicians were later able to perform a check-up on Khaleda for about 30 minutes, said Mahbub Islam, an official of Dhaka Central Jail. The jail authority will arrange for Khaleda's treatment following the prescription provided by the medical board.

The medical team emerged from the jailhouse at 4:50pm.

The BNP has accused the government of including its supporters among the team in order to manipulate the medical report and has demanded the inclusion of Khaleda's personal physicians on the board.

A team of BNP representatives led by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sept 9 and sought medical treatment for Khaleda at a specialised hospital of her choice in Dhaka.