report in The Daily Star, Sept 8, 2023
A total of 582 eminent citizens yesterday said BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia should immediately be allowed to fly abroad for better treatment.
In a joint statement, they said the three-time former prime minister of Bangladesh has been undergoing serious illness and living a life of prisoner even at the age of 78 based on a “motivated verdict”.
They called upon the government to go beyond politics and consider Khaleda’s ailing situation on humanitarian grounds, adding getting proper treatment is her fundamental right.
They said Khaleda has been under intensive care of doctors at the Evercare Hospital in the capital with quite a few serious illnesses.
As per physicians treating her, Khaleda needs to be sent abroad for advance treatment, they said.
They further said the situation regarding her illness as described by the chief of the team of her personal doctors is “worrisome”.
Although she has been outside jail following an executive decision her illness triggered as she was not treated well during her four years of imprisonment, they said in the statement.
Khaleda has been suffering from various diseases including those related to heart, liver, kidney as well as suffering from arthritis. Besides, she was also tested Covid-19 positive and suffered from post-Covid complexities, they added.
She deserves proper treatment as a top politician of the country and a former PM, they added.
The signatories include Prof Anwarullah Chowdhury, Prof AFM Yusuf Haider, Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali, journalist Alamgir Mohiuddin, Advocate Zainul Abedin, journalist Ruhul Amin Gazi, Prof AZM Zahid Hossain, Prof Siraj Uddin Ahmed, Prof Farhad Halim, Prof Tasmeri SA Islam, Prof Abdul Latif Masum, and Prof Khalilur Rahman.
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/khaleda-should-be-allowed-seek-treatment-abroad-3413596
