Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia continues to battle multiple critical health complications under the care of local and foreign specialists. Police have set up a barricade at the hospital’s main entrance, deploying more than two dozen officers to control crowds and ensure the 80-year-old leader’s safety. Khaleda Zia has been receiving treatment in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) since November 23, when she was admitted with heart and lung infections. BNP leaders described her condition as extremely critical, citing a series of long-term health issues including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver cirrhosis, kidney complications and, more recently, pneumonia.
The escalation in security followed the interim government’s decision to declare the former prime minister a very, very important person, enabling deployment of the Special Security Force (SSF) for her protection.
