Five replace earlier panel of doctors

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Five physicians on the seven-member medical board formed by the Square Hospitals authorities to treat detained Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina were replaced Thursday night.

Sources said Dr Touhiduzzaman, Dr Sarwar Alam, Dr Shah Alam, Dr Mirza Nazimuddin and Dr MH Millat have been replaced by Dr Ruhul Hasan Jawardar, Dr Hiramani Sharma, Dr Ziaul Haque, Dr Mizanur Rahman and Dr M Akhtar Hossain.

Prof Sanawar Hossain and Dr Shahil Mahmud are the other two members of the medical board that was formed Wednesday, keeping Hasina’s personal physicians out.

The reorganized panel, treating the Awami League president amid strict confidentiality, will make recommendations on the overall health conditions of Hasina within a week, following which authorities would decide their next steps.

The hospital management has kept mum about Hasina’s health on orders from the authorities.

They have been asked to stay away from news briefing and from making statements on Hasina’s health.

Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Maj Shamsul Haider Siddiqui told The Daily Star that there would be no regular briefing on Hasina’s health conditions as “it is not right to brief every day on the health of a person when they are detained.”

Maj Haider said there is nothing to worry about the AL president as she is quite well now.

He said if there is any important development regarding the physical condition of the AL chief, he would inform the media about it.

Sources said Hasina underwent some tests including ultrasonogram yesterday.

But neither the hospital authorities nor the jail authorities gave any latest information about the condition of the AL chief admitted to the Square Hospitals under Dr Millat’s supervision.

The hospital authorities did not even clarify the reason for changing her doctor.

Sources said the five doctors have been dropped from the panel, as they are loyal to Hasina and her party. Dr Millat is a relative of the AL chief while Dr Touhiduzzaman is one of the relatives of AL Presidium member Tofail Ahmed.

Earlier, Hasina’s personal physicians who had been checking her in jail for the last couple of months were barred from visiting her at the Square Hospitals from the second day of her admission to the hospital.

Home Adviser MA Matin on Thursday termed the physicians ‘partisan’. But the doctors denied the allegation.

“I don’t know whether her doctor has been changed as I was busy with my other work. I did not go to the hospital today [yesterday],” DIG (Prisons) Maj Siddiqui told The Daily Star last night.

Even General Manager of Square Hospitals Brig Gen (retd) John Gomes told reporters that he does not know anything about the matter.

Meanwhile, security measures have been tightened in and around the Square Hospitals.

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