BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said party chief Begum Khaleda Zia may be flown to London on Sunday for advanced treatment, subject to clearance from her medical team at Evercare Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.

“Khaleda Zia’s condition remains serious. An air ambulance provided by Qatar is expected to arrive in Dhaka on Saturday. She will be flown to London for better treatment only if the doctors confirm she is fit to fly,” he said.

He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after attending a doa mahfil at the Nayapaltan Jam-e-Mosque in Dhaka.

The BNP leader said that highly experienced doctors from both home and abroad are treating Khaleda Zia and believe she needs more advanced care, which is why arrangements are being made to transfer her to a hospital in England.

Fakhrul noted that Khaleda Zia dedicated her life to the struggle for democracy. “She was kept in the central jail for a long time, and it is suspected that her illness began there. Her condition worsened due to a lack of proper treatment.”

He recalled that Khaleda became severely ill during the COVID-19 period and suffered for nearly four years. “By the grace of Almighty Allah, she recovered for a while, but over the past few days her condition has deteriorated again,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Fakhrul said Khaleda’s planned flight to London was delayed because of both the Qatar air ambulance’s failure to arrive on time due to technical issues and a deterioration in her condition.

“It was not only the aircraft issue — her health condition was also a factor. Her condition deteriorated a bit yesterday,” he said.