FROM PAGE 12

On Wednesday night, Khaleda’s personal physician Dr Zahid Hossain said she is receiving treatment in ICU.

The BNP chief has long been battling multiple complications, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and chronic issues affecting her kidneys, lungs, heart, and eyes.

“Due to the increase in her breathing difficulty, the decrease in oxygen levels in the blood, and the rise in carbon dioxide levels, she is being treated with a high-flow nasal cannula and a BIPAP machine,” the statement read.

“However, as her condition did not improve, she has been placed on elective ventilator support to rest her lungs and other organs,” it added.

Elective ventilator support is a planned medical decision, rather than an emergency intervention.

Moreover, due to gastrointestinal bleeding and disseminated intravascular coagulation, Khaleda is receiving blood and blood product transfusions.

“Despite all the treatment, as her fever did not go down, and during the regular echocardiography, as some problems were found in the aortic valve, a transoesophageal echo was done, and infective endocarditis was diagnosed,” said Shahabuddin.

Following the advice of local and foreign doctors, treatment according to standard guidelines for the disease was started immediately, he added.

Urging people not to spread misinformation, the doctors requested everyone to pray for Khaleda’s speedy recovery. Though BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman who has been in exile in Britain for 17 years, has not yet visited her, Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of Tarique, arrived in Dhaka on December 5 to look after her treatment.