On behalf of her family, Khushi Kabir in a news release said the jail authorities' news briefing on August 2 drew her attention and although she has no objection to the conduct of the authorities, she differs with their statement on Sigma's health condition and her treatment.

"Sigma has been suffering from various illnesses including diabetes, and kidney, heart and spinal complications," Khushi Kabir said in the release adding that in 2006 her sister underwent a surgery in National University Hospital in Singapore.

She still has a blockage in an artery, which has been clearly documented in the medical report sent by the hospital in Singapore. Moreover, specialist physicians asked her to be under regular check ups. She also has a heart condition known as arrhythmia which causes irregular heart beat and breathlessness in a patient. Besides, due to her diabetes 48 percent of Sigma's kidneys are damaged, Khushi Kabir said.

Following her doctors' advice Sigma was making arrangements to travel to Singapore for check ups, but since the government had put a ban on her trip abroad, she was admitted to Lab Aid Cardiac Hospital in the capital for medical tests including an angiogram. She was still asked to be present in a court in that complicated situation, prompting the doctors to send her to the court by an ambulance on a stretcher with artificial oxygen supply. Her family sent her medical report to the jail authorities and apprised them of her health condition, the news release said.

Only after eminent women leaders and Amnesty International had expressed their concern about Sigma's health, the jail authorities called in a doctor to see her. But the authorities did not keep any medical report from the doctor. Following Sigma's request, the prison doctor visited her twice or three times, said Sigma's sister.

As the jail authorities declined to provide her with an ambulance and a wheel chair even though she was suffering from spinal and lipid complications, her family had no choice but to arrange those amenities for her, Khushi Kabir said in the release.

Since July 7, the authorities have not arranged for any type of medical test for Sigma, the release claimed.

The release went on saying that Sigma's family cannot really understand how the jail authorities claimed that her condition is not critical while her condition is not only visibly bad but deteriorating. Khushi Kabir in her statement hoped that the jail authorities will dispel the 'confusion' created by themselves, by making public the medical reports of Sigma.

Sigma's sister also said their family has a history of suffering from similar ailments. Sigma's elder sister Alfa Ali died of similar complications before she could even consult a doctor, Khushi Kabir added.

Sigma Huda's husband is also currently in jail on charges of corruption.