The country continues to wait in collective anxiety as BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia remains in a critical state at Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital. Her condition, described by party insiders and physicians as “very deep” and “extremely fragile,” has drawn unprecedented international medical attention — including the arrival of a high-level team of specialist doctors from China on Monday.
The 80-year-old leader, a towering figure in the country’s political landscape for more than four decades, has been struggling with severe complications arising from multiple chronic illnesses. And as conflicting reports swirl and public fear intensifies, every update on her health triggers a new wave of concern across the nation.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP secretary general, attempted once again to calm rising public nerves. “Madam’s condition is stable under close observation. People should not be confused by unverified or misleading reports,” he said on Monday, urging the media and public to rely on the authorised medical team.
His appeal followed a flood of contradictory reports late Sunday night — some claiming Khaleda had been placed on ventilation, others suggesting a sudden deterioration — prompting BNP’s Media Cell to issue a formal warning against spreading unverified updates. BNP vice chairman Ahmed Azam Khan had earlier described her condition as “very deep,” saying, “You may call it ventilation support or a very critical condition.”
Khaleda, who was taken to Evercare Hospital on November 23 after tests detected a chest infection, suffers from long-standing complications including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, kidney problems and advanced liver cirrhosis. Doctors say her overall prognosis remains unpredictable and difficult to manage, as her organs have suffered long-term damage that complicates every phase of treatment.
In a significant development, a high-level medical delegation from China arrived in Dhaka to assist with her care. BNP sources confirmed that five to six specialist physicians were sent “on behalf of Chinese President Xi Jinping” after Beijing communicated its willingness to support Khaleda’s medical management.
Hospital sources said the Chinese team already held a detailed meeting with the existing medical board and has begun reviewing her treatment plan. “A detailed evaluation will be carried out regarding what is urgently required for her treatment and which procedures may be the most effective,” said a senior hospital official involved in the consultations. The new specialists are expected to bring alternative treatment strategies or new procedural recommendations, raising hopes within BNP circles that fresh options may emerge at a time when her condition remains perilous.
For now, a combined group of physicians from Bangladesh, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, China and other countries is regularly consulting on her case, marking one of the most internationally coordinated medical efforts ever undertaken for a Bangladeshi political leader. Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Khaleda’s personal physician and the authorised spokesperson on her health, said on Sunday night that any decision about sending her abroad again depends entirely on moment-to-moment medical evaluations. “It will be determined by the medical board. Such decisions cannot be rushed,” he said.
The government has meanwhile declared BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia a “Very Important Person (VVIP)” and assigned the Special Security Force (SSF) to ensure her protection.
A notification to this effect was issued on Monday (1 December) by the Office of the Chief Adviser. It was signed by Mohammad Abdul Wadud Chowdhury, Director General (Administration), by order of the President.
Across Bangladesh, the mood has grown sombre, with prayers, doa mahfils and vigils held in cities and villages alike. Social media has been inundated with messages of concern, reflections on her political legacy, and heartfelt appeals for her recovery. The anxiety reflects not just her current battle for survival, but also the deep imprint she has left on the country’s political consciousness since entering politics in the early 1980s following the assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman.
During that period, Khaleda Zia emerged as one of South Asia’s most influential female leaders — serving three terms as prime minister and playing a defining role in Bangladesh’s turbulent democratic transitions.
Today, as she lies critically ill, many in the country describe the moment as “the end of an era waiting in the shadows.”
BNP has urged everyone — supporters and critics alike — to pray for her recovery.
“We are passing through a time of great anxiety,” Fakhrul said. “The whole nation is worried.”
