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Writer improving slowly, able to swallow liquid food

Staff Correspondent
Dr Humayun Azad was able to swallow liquid food for the first time yesterday since the eminent writer was admitted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in a critical condition following the deadly machete attack on February 27.
Azad, author of over 50 books and professor of Bangla at Dhaka University, was, however, only able to speak for a few minutes in a feeble voice.
"He seemed very eager to talk, but could not bear the strain after a few minutes," Azad's wife Latifa Kohinoor told The Daily Star yesterday. "He was talking in a feeble and laboured voice."
His weakness is due to the heavy medications he is on and doctors want him to sleep undisturbed, she said, adding hospital authorities are not allowing anyone other than her and their three children to visit him.
"Doctors warned that he is still vulnerable to the danger of catching an infection," Latifa said yesterday morning after visiting her husband, now being kept at a VIP cabin.
"Whenever I met him over the last two days, tears rolled down his cheeks and he tried to say something,"sheadded.
Although CMH authorities gave Azad his spectacle and a newspaperyesterday, it could notbe knownwhetherhewas able to read.
A medical bulletin of the ISPR (Inter Services Public Relations) released at 11:00am yesterday said Azad's condition improvedfurtherinthatheisconscious,has regainedorientation oftime and space, and isabletocommunicateverbally.
"His pulse, temperature, respiration and blood pressure are within acceptable limits. He can sit with assistance and is getting liquid food orally," the ISPR bulletin said, quoting review by senior specialists of thearmedforces.
"His overall condition is improving but further intensive care is required," the bulletinadded.
Citing Azad's physical and mental weakness, CMH authorities refused to let Inspector Kazi Abdul Malek of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) talk to the writer.Malekisinvestigatingtheattack.
"Maybe he will not be able to bear the stress of recalling the incident," Malek said. "I'm waiting, I think I will be able to talk to himwithinadayortwo."
With no development in the investigation so far, the CID officertalkedwithAzad's publisher Osman Gani at the CMH yesterday. Azad used to sit at Gani's stall ofAgami Prokashani at the Ekushey Book Fair and wasattackedanhourafterleavingthestall.
"The CID asked mewhen he (Azad) left my stall and where he was heading," Gani said.
Azad asked for Gani after regaining consciousness, but authorities till last evening were still not letting anyone other thanhisfamilytovisithim.