Doctors to decide on Hasina's treatment abroad today

A medical board is scheduled to let the government know today whether detained former prime minister Sheikh Hasina needs treatment abroad, after examining her health.
On receiving a report from the medical board, the government will decide whether to take steps according to the recommendations or to form yet another high-powered medical board to examine her health further.
Meanwhile, Hasina's husband Dr Wajed Mia yesterday sent a letter to Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed demanding immediate release of his wife for better treatment abroad.
Mentioning different health complexities of Hasina, Dr Wazed in his letter said she should be released immediately, if necessary even on bail, so she may go to the US for treatment of her ears, special personal assistant to the former premier Dr Hasan Mahmud told The Daily Star last night.
Dr Hasan who is also the forest and environment affairs secretary of Awami League (AL), and one of Hasina's counsels Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh handed over the letter to the Chief Adviser's Office at 8:25 last night.
But the government's response to the letter could not be known immediately.
In another development, prison authorities yesterday denied news reports that Hasina's close relations were denied meetings with her at the makeshift jail in the parliament building complex.
Home Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin instructed the prison authorities yesterday morning to send medical specialists to Hasina according to her wish, and asked the doctors to submit reports.
"I've instructed the inspector general of prisons to send a lady doctor to examine the health of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina today. The doctor will ask her about her problems. If she wants specialists, that will be arranged too," Matin told reporters after a meeting at the shipping ministry yesterday.
Asked about sending Hasina abroad for treatment, he said, "Let there be a medical report first. If necessary, another high powered medical board will be formed and steps will be taken in line with the recommendations."
"If the board recommends sending her abroad, we'll do so," he said.
On receiving instruction from the home adviser, the prison authorities contacted Hasina yesterday noon to know if she has any particular choice of physicians and to make appointments for medical check ups.
"She said she is not ready for the examination today, she would rather have it done tomorrow," Inspector General of Prisons (IG-prisons) Brig Gen Zakir Hassan told The Daily Star yesterday.
The prison authorities are scheduled to arrange the check up after talking to Hasina this morning.
According to the former premier's wishes, who is also the president of AL, the prison authorities contacted five medical specialists Dr Abdullah of medicine, Dr Pran Gopal of ENT, Dr Mudassir of ophthalmology, Dr Shaila Khatun of gynaecology, and Dr Habibe Millat of cardiology.
"The next course of action regarding her treatment depends on what the doctors say tomorrow," the prison boss said yesterday.
Hasina was taken to Square Hospital on February 21 for a medical check up for the first time since her arrest and was taken back to the special jail after about three hours of examination by a 10-member medical team in the hospital.
Meanwhile, asked about the treatment of another detained former premier also the chief of BNP, Khaleda Zia, the home adviser said in the morning that a medical board will also be constituted for her treatment, if necessary.
"When our leaders are ill, the government will take measures on humanitarian grounds," he added.
Hasina was arrested on July 16 of last year from her Dhanmondi residence in the capital while her traditional archrival Khaleda Zia was arrested on September 3 from her Cantonment residence.
On Sunday, the government had decided to release ailing AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil on a 30-day parole for his treatment abroad, following which he flew off to Singapore in the first hour of yesterday.
Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader told a television channel yesterday that the government will be sympathetic to detained political leaders seeking medical treatment abroad.
"Opinions of doctors and recommendations of medial boards will be required for allowing anyone to go abroad for treatment," said the adviser in a special interview with private television, Channel i.
"It is for sure that the government thinks they [Hasina and Khaleda] need treatment, it will not hesitate to send them abroad," the adviser said.
OFFICIALS DENY MEDIA REPORTS
Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (DIG-prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddiqui yesterday rejected reports in some electronic and print media that the jail authorities have not been allowing Hasina's close relations to meet her, and that she has not even been allowed to get her medicines for the last three days.
"Her relatives met her 15 times, and her lawyers met her 26 times since she had been detained in the makeshift jail. Not only in the jail, we heard Sheikh Hasina also met her relatives and counsels 15 times in the special court. So, how have we violated the jail code?" UNB quoted Haider as saying at a news conference yesterday.
"The allegation of not letting Hasina have her medicines is absolutely untrue and false because it is impossible to keep her without the medicines even for three hours," he added.