Bangladesh’s Khaleda Zia hospitalised in ‘very critical’ condition

Ex-prime minister’s family calls for prayers for her early recovery after hospitalisation for a lung infection.Published On 30 Nov 2025Bangladeshi former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has been hospitalised in “very critical” condition, according to members of her party, as her family and supporters urged well-wishers to pray for her speedy recovery.Zia’s personal physician, Dr A Z M Zahid Hossein, told reporters late on Saturday that the 80-year-old politician, who was taken to the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on November 23, remains in intensive care.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4History Illustrated: Will Bangladesh’s Hasina face the hangman?list 2 of 4After death sentence, Bangladesh ex-PM Hasina gets 21 years for land grablist 3 of 4Thousands left homeless by fire in Bangladesh shantytown in Dhakalist 4 of 4India ‘examining’ Bangladesh extradition request for convicted ex-PM Hasinaend of listShe was admitted with symptoms of a lung infection and Hossein said she appeared to be responding to the treatment.“At this moment, I can say her condition has been in the same stage for the last three days. In doctors’ language, we say ‘she is responding to the treatment’,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Star news website.“Please pray so that she can continue to receive this treatment.”Hossein’s comments came a day after the secretary-general of Zia’s Bangladesh National Party (BNP), Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, told reporters that her “condition was very critical”.According to the Daily Star, Zia has “heart problems, liver and kidney issues, diabetes, lung problems, arthritis, and eye-related illnesses”.She has a permanent pacemaker and previously underwent stenting for her heart, the outlet reported.Activists in support of Bangladesh’s former prime minister, Khaleda Zia, hold a banner with her portrait as they pray for her recovery in front of the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on November 29, 2025 [Munir UZ Zaman/AFP]Earlier on Saturday, BNP’s vice chairman, Ahmed Azam Khan, told reporters that an air ambulance was on standby to take Zia abroad for advanced treatment if her medical condition stabilises.