Ex-Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda hospitalised in Dhaka with COVID-19

Khaleda Zia, who tested positive two weeks ago for COVID-19, has been hospitalised in Dhaka for doctors to run some more tests on her.

The BNP chairperson underwent some tests at Evercare Hospital before her hospitalisation on Tuesday night, according to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. 

“Her condition is stable. More tests on her are required," he said, adding that the former prime minister "has sought the people's blessings".

One of Khaleda's physicians said she will return home after the doctors review the test reports.

The 76-year old politician, who has diabetes and arthritis, was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Apr 11. As many as eight staffers, including her personal carer Fatema Begum, at her home in Dhaka’s Gulshan have also tested positive for the disease.

A team of physicians led by medicine and chest diseases specialist Prof FM Siddique began her medical treatment at her Gulshan residence.

The doctors said her daughter-in-law Dr Zubaida Rahman, the wife of BNP’s acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman, has been overseeing her entire treatment protocol from London. 

They decided to treat her at home after her CT scan results came out “satisfactory” the day she tested positive for COVID-19.

After Tuesday’s development, Prof Siddique said they would have Khaleda undergo some more tests she could not have in the past year.

It would not “look good” if the doctors took her home and then bring her back to the hospital again for more tests, he said.

“That is why we’ve got her admitted to a cabin.”

Prof Siddique said Khaleda would stay at the hospital for “maximum two days” before the reports of the tests are reviewed.

She has no symptoms of COVID-19 and is doing well, he said.

The result of Tuesday’s CT scan was also “good”. “She's recovering.”

Khaleda’s other health parameters related to COVID-19, such as D-dimer, ferritin and CRP, were also “all right”, according to the doctor.

The BNP chief has been living in her Gulshan residence since the government suspended her imprisonment order in March 2020.

She had served 25 months out of 17 years of prison sentences in two graft cases, involving Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust.