Bangladesh News

Detained Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina, who has been suffering from several health related complications, was taken to a city hospital yesterday for medical check-up for the first time since her arrest.

She was taken back to the special jail on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises after about three hours of check-up by a 10-member medical team at Square Hospital amid tight security.

The former prime minister and eldest daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was arrested on July 16 last year, has been suffering from high blood pressure and other conditions.

The condition of her health deteriorated in the last couple of weeks and doctors and the jail authorities recommended immediate medical check-up. But Hasina refused to undergo treatment in the country fearing there could be “foul play”.

The medical team checked Hasina for nearly three hours yesterday but no pathological tests, including those for liver and kidneys, ECG, X-ray and a blood lipid profile, were done as she was not prepared for the tests.

“No pathological test was carried out yesterday as she was not notified to come with empty stomach,” AL chief’s personal physician Dr ABM Abdullah told The Daily Star.

Some of the tests have to be carried out before taking any meal, but Hasina had already had her breakfast, he said.

Talking to The Daily Star, Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui said, “It is our mistake that we forgot to notify her [Hasina] to go empty stomach for the check-up.”

A thorough check-up was carried out for the treatment of her eyes and doctors prescribed modified power for her glasses. They also brought slight changes in her medicine.

Hasina is likely to be taken to the hospital at any time next week for carrying out the tests, sources said.

The medical board comprising Dr Syed Modasser Ali, Dr MH Millat, Dr ABM Abdullah, Dr Mirza Nazim Uddin, Dr Monwar Hossain, Dr ABM Sarwari Alam, Dr Touhiduzzaman, Dr Shah Alam, Dr Shahin Mahmud and Dr Suraiya Bulbul prescribed medicines for blood pressure, allergy and other minor ailments.

The medical board also recommended for sending Hasina abroad–to USA–for the treatment of her ears since the treatment is not possible in the country.

The DIG Prisons, however, told reporters that as per the jail code no prisoner could be sent abroad for treatment under any circumstance.

Dr Millat said it is possible to arrange all kinds of treatments, except that for her ears, and the medical tests at Square Hospital.

Asked why the AL chief was not hospitalised, the DIG Prisons said the doctors did not them to do so. He added that Hasina would be taken to hospital soon for carrying out all pathological tests.

Dr Abdullah said Hasina was not willing to get admitted to hospital and said she was feeling well.

The doctors said the overall condition of Hasina’s health was slightly better than other days, but her blood pressure was high and fluctuating since morning. She also had swelling allergic dermatitis.

During the check-up the doctors advised the former premier not to worry about anything. Hasina, who kept on talking to her doctors on different issues including her health, repeatedly told them that she had never received any bribe from anyone and that the charges brought against her are false and politically motivated.

Talking to The Daily Star, one of the doctors said the AL chief told them that she has been charged with false accusations in a bid to assail her politically and exclude her from the next parliamentary polls.

Hasina was taken to Square Hospital at about 10:15am amid tight security. The DIG Prisons accompanied her in a car. Hasina was brought back to jail at 12:50pm.

Hasina’s personal physicians were also called to accompany her.

Tight security measures had been taken in and around Square Hospital since Wednesday night to avoid any untoward incident. Huge contingent of police, Rapid Action Battalion personnel and plainclothes intelligence personnel cordoned off the entire hospital.

Law enforcers were also deployed on the roofs of buildings adjacent to the hospital. Security was also beefed up at different intersections in Panthapath area.

Around 100 party leaders, including Motia Chowdhury, Syed Ashraful Islam, Dr Hasan Mahmud, Shahara Khatun, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin and the visiting Canadian lawyer William Sloan, and AL workers gathered in front of the hospital to see the party chief.

Motia gave three books to the jail authority for Hasina.