Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia remains in intensive care as her health continues to be closely monitored.
According to reports, the 79-year-old has a permanent pacemaker and previously underwent cardiac stenting. Her eldest son, Tarique Rahman—living in London since 2008—urged citizens to pray for her recovery. “We express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for all your prayers and love for the highly respected Begum Khaleda Zia,” Rahman said in a social media post on Saturday. He appealed for continued prayers, adding that he wished to be by his mother’s side but could not return due to circumstances “beyond his control.”
“I share the same deep longing as any child to have my mother’s touch in moments of crisis,” he wrote, noting that the decision to return to Bangladesh “is neither straightforward nor mine alone to make.”
Zia, a three-time prime minister, was jailed on corruption charges in 2018 under Sheikh Hasina’s government, which also barred her from travelling abroad for medical treatment. She was released last year following Hasina’s ouster.
Despite frail health, Zia has pledged to campaign in the national elections expected in February 2026, where her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is seen as a major contender. Outside the hospital, supporters gathered to express solidarity. Liton Molla, a 45-year-old driver who arrived early in the morning, described Zia as his “dear leader.”
“I just pray she recovers and can contest in the election,” he told AFP. “At this moment Bangladesh needs a leader like Khaleda Zia.” Interim leader Muhammad Yunus also released a statement, calling Zia “a source of utmost inspiration” during Bangladesh’s transition. “Her recovery is very important for the country,” he said.
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