DHAKA (HRNW): The health of former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia has sharply deteriorated since her admission to hospital late last month, prompting her family and party leaders to urge the nation to pray for her recovery.
The 80-year-old BNP chairperson was admitted on November 23 with symptoms of a lung infection and has since remained in intensive care, according to party officials.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir told reporters Friday night that doctors had informed the family her condition was “very critical”.
Senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party leaders and concerned supporters gathered outside the hospital on Saturday, seeking updates on her health.
The Daily Star reported that Zia suffers from multiple chronic conditions, including heart, liver, and kidney complications, diabetes, lung issues, arthritis, and eye-related illnesses. She also has a permanent pacemaker and previously underwent cardiac stenting.
Her eldest son, Tarique Rahman—who has lived in London since 2008—appealed to Bangladeshis via social media to pray for his mother.
“We express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for all your prayers and love for the highly respected Begum Khaleda Zia,” the 60-year-old said, adding that he is unable to return to Bangladesh due to circumstances “beyond his control”.
“I share the same deep longing as any child to have my mother’s touch in moments of crisis. However, the decision to return home is neither straightforward nor mine alone to make,” he wrote.
Zia, a three-time prime minister, was jailed on corruption charges in 2018 under Sheikh Hasina’s government, which also barred her from travelling abroad for medical treatment. She was released last year following Hasina’s ouster.
Interim leader Muhammad Yunus also issued a statement Friday night, calling Zia “a source of utmost inspiration” during the country’s transition back to democracy and stressing the national importance of her recovery.
Despite her poor health, Zia has pledged to take part in the elections expected in February 2026, in which the BNP is widely viewed as a leading contender.
