Dhaka, Dec 13: Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia has been placed on ventilator support after her health deteriorated sharply, doctors treating her said on Thursday.
The 80-year-old leader was shifted to elective ventilator support after non-invasive respiratory assistance, including high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) and BiPAP, failed to stabilise her condition, according to a statement issued by the hospital’s medical board.
Doctors said Zia experienced increased breathing difficulties, falling oxygen levels and rising carbon dioxide levels, prompting the decision to place her on ventilatory support to allow her lungs and other vital organs to rest.
The medical board said Zia remains under round-the-clock observation by a team of local and foreign specialists, warning that several of her vital organs are under severe stress.
Her kidney function has ceased completely and she is undergoing regular dialysis, the statement said, adding that she currently requires blood transfusions. Tests also revealed infective endocarditis — a serious infection of the heart’s aortic valve — confirmed through a transoesophageal echocardiogram (TEE). Treatment has been initiated in line with international medical protocols.
Doctors also detected acute pancreatitis on November 27 while Zia was being treated with high-grade antibiotics and antifungal medication for severe infections.
Hospitalised on November 23 after developing a chest infection affecting both her heart and lungs, Zia was later shifted to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) as her condition worsened. Plans to fly her to London for advanced treatment were delayed after an air ambulance could not reach Dhaka, and doctors later advised continued treatment at the Evercare Hospital until she is deemed fit to travel.
In its statement, the medical board urged the public to refrain from speculation or misinformation and appealed for respect for Zia’s privacy and dignity.
Meanwhile, the BNP announced that Zia’s self-exiled son and the party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, will return to Bangladesh on December 25.
“We are pleased to announce that our Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman will return to Dhaka on 25 December,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters.
Rahman has lived in self-imposed exile in London for 17 years and has led the party virtually as its de facto leader. The BNP has previously said that Rahman would be its prime ministerial candidate if Zia is deemed physically unfit and the party wins the next election.
His return comes a day after Zia was placed on ventilator support and follows the Election Commission’s announcement that Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections will be held on February 12.
The BNP has re-emerged as a leading political force following student-led protests that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in August 2024.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has meanwhile conveyed his concern over Zia’s condition and promised all possible support for the ailing former Bangladeshi leader.
