The members of the medical board formed for BNP chief Khaleda Zia has advised no immediate changes in her treatment after going through her medical documents on Sunday, a day after she was admitted to the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital.

“Around 11:30am, the doctors went to her room and went through the medical documents. They have decided that the previous treatment will continue until the board meets once again,” BSMMU Hospital Director Abdullah Al Harun told the media.
He was flanked by Khaleda’s personal physician Dr Mamun at the media call.
Five members of the medical board are examining the health papers of Khaleda Zia, said director of BSMMU, Brig Gen Abdullah Al Harun. At that time, Khaleda Zia’s personal physician, Dr Mamun, was also present.
“At around 11 am, Sunday, a five member medical board team went to Khaleda Zia’s room and decided that until all of them sit together, the previous treatment will continue,”
Asked on his meeting with Khaleda’s lawyers earlier in the day, Harun said, “They have requested for their client’s treatment in line with the court’s order and that’s what we are exactly doing.”
Responding to another query, the BSMMU Hospital director said that they would provide Khaleda with her preferred gynaecologist or a physiotherapist, if needed.
On reconstitution of medical board in line with the court’s order, Harun said that the court ordered that members of the five-strong board, except for Professor MA Jalil Chowdhury and Associate Professor Badrunnesa Ahmed, cannot be members of Swachip or DAB. “None of the members of the medical board are affiliated with the bodies.”
Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip) is a pro-Awami League doctors’ organisation while and the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB), a pro-BNP body.

According to a court order, a five-member medical board comprising of two neutral doctors and three doctors of Khaleda’s choosing have been formed for her.

The board comprises of cardiologist Professor Shajal Krishna Banerjee, rheumatologist Professor Syed Atikul Haque, Professor of orthopedic department Nakul Kumar Datta, Professor of medicine Abdul Jalil Chowdhury and Assistant Professor at physical medicine department Badrunnesa Ahmed.
In April, Khaleda was taken to BSMMU Hospital for medical tests.

The BNP has been calling for the party chief to be transferred to a specialised private hospital for treatment, but the government has proposed that she be taken to BSMMU.

The BNP had not accepted the proposal and prison authorities indicated that Khaleda had also objected and stated the private United Hospital as her preffered medical facility.

A petition was filed with the High Court on Sept 9, when a BNP delegation led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and urged him to move her to a specialised hospital.

Soon after the meeting, the government said it has instructed the BSMMU Hospital authorities for a medical board for Khaleda, which was formed on Sept 13.

On Sept 15 the medical board formed by the government examined Khaleda at the prison facility in old Dhaka where she was the lone inmate and published the reports on Sept 16.

However, members of her party questioned the credibility of the board and her legal counsels said at a court hearing that she will not be receiving proper treatment as the board comprised of physicians who are affiliated with the government.

The High Court then ordered the imprisoned BNP chief to be admitted to BSMMU Hospital as well as gave the permission to avail treatment from doctors of her preference on Thursday (Oct 4).

The 73-year-old has been serving a five-year term since Feb 8, when she was convicted in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.