Khaleda Zia’s health is deteriorating

The latest news about former prime minister and BNP chief Khaleda Zia has reconfirmed that her health has severely deteriorated. For the first time, her doctors have publicly briefed us about her health complications. Khaleda has been diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and has also been passing blood. Her doctors have gone on to say that her condition could turn critical at any moment, and that she needs TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt) technology to intervene, which is available at some specific advanced medical centres in the US, UK, and Germany. 

Because Khaleda Zia is at high risk of rebleeding in the next week and an even higher risk in the next six weeks, her doctors have strongly suggested that she be taken abroad for treatment immediately. Taking into consideration the recommendation of her doctors, we believe it is time for the government to rethink whether to send her abroad for treatment on humanitarian grounds. 

The government has already allowed her to be in the company of her family on humanitarian grounds. However, the comments made by the law minister that Khaleda is now free and is not in the government's custody is somewhat confusing. As far as we are aware, she has been convicted and has been serving her term. What did the law minister mean when he said she is now free? Does that mean she is free to travel abroad for treatment? If that is the case, what prevents her from going abroad, or what was meant when it was said that she needed to go back to jail to be allowed to go abroad?

We see VIPs constantly going abroad to receive treatment, which means that our healthcare system is not advanced enough to support all sorts of medical emergencies. Khaleda Zia's medical situation could be such a case. 

We understand that there are many political implications in regards to Khaleda Zia and her case. However, since she is now severely ill, at this stage of her life, can politics be left aside, and the focus be shifted to the humanitarian side?