The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has expressed its gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he expressed concern over party leader Khaled Zia’s health, saying “India is ready to extend all possible support” to the former prime minister.
In a post on X, BNP wrote: “BNP expresses its sincere gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister of India @narendramodi for his thoughtful message and kind wishes for the speedy recovery of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.”
“The BNP deeply appreciates this gesture of goodwill and expression of readiness to extend support,” she added.
In his X post, Modi said: “Deeply concerned to learn about the health of Begum Khaleda Zia, who has been contributing to Bangladeshi public life for many years.”
“Our sincere prayers and best wishes for her speedy recovery. India stands ready to extend all possible support in any way possible,” he added.
The former Bangladesh prime minister, who was suffering from a lung infection, was admitted to Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital on November 23. She is currently being treated in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of the facility and is under the supervision of local and foreign specialist doctors who are part of the Medical Board created for her.
BNP General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam had earlier said that her physical condition is very critical after consulting doctors.
Senior Advisor to the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, also expressed his concern about Zia’s health.
On Friday, he sent another adviser, Asif Nazrul, to the hospital to inquire about Khaleda Zia’s condition.
The 80-year-old former prime minister suffered from a number of physical ailments, including diabetes, heart disease, kidney complications and also cirrhosis of the liver. In January this year, she went to London for advanced treatment.
She was treated for 17 days at a clinic in the British capital and later at her son Tarique Rahman’s home, where she was under the supervision of Professor Patrick Kennedy and Professor Jennifer Cross. The BNP supremo returned to Bangladesh on 6 May.
Begum Khaleda Zia, the widow of former Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman, served as Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996 and then from 2001 to 2006. She was the country’s first female Prime Minister.
