Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is in an “extremely critical” condition, according to her personal physician, PTI reported.
The 80-year-old BNP chairperson has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka since November 23 for multiple health complications.
On December 11, she was placed on “ventilator support to give rest to her lungs and other vital organs.” "It cannot be said that her condition has improved. She is passing through an extremely critical phase,” Dr AZM Zahid said during a briefing held shortly after midnight on Saturday outside Evercare Hospital, without prior notice.
He also urged the nation to pray for Zia's recovery, news portal bdnews24.com reported.
“If, by Allah’s mercy, she can get through this critical period, we may hear something positive,” Zahid said.
Her son and BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman spent more than two hours at the hospital before leaving shortly before midnight, party members said.
Both local and foreign physicians are involved in Zia's care, with her daughter-in-law, Dr Zubaida Rahman, also actively participating in the treatment process.
The BNP has previously indicated that it would prefer Zia to be taken abroad for advanced medical treatment. However, her current physical condition does not allow for air travel, so her treatment continues in the country.
After the ousting of Sheikh Hasina last year, Rahman was acquitted one by one of the cases filed during the Awami League period through legal battles, paving the way for his return to the country.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has continued to witness incidents of violence. In a recent episode, a mob vandalised the shrine of a Sufi saint in northwestern Thakurgaon during the predawn hours on Saturday. Police said they have not yet been able to identify the attackers.
On Friday, a powerful explosion damaged the walls of an Islamic religious seminary on the outskirts of Dhaka, leaving four people injured. Police reported seizing bomb-making materials and crude explosives from the scene in the Keraniganj area. A local resident confirmed that no students were present inside the seminary at the time of the blast.
Hadi, a prominent critic of India and the ruling Awami League, was a key leader of last year’s violent student-led July Uprising that challenged the Hasina government. He subsequently launched the Inqilab Mancha movement.
Earlier on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated India's consistent support for democratic processes in Bangladesh, stressing its call for free, fair, inclusive and participatory elections in the neighbouring country.
Outlining New Delhi's position, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "India stands for strengthening our ties with the people of Bangladesh. We favour peace and stability in Bangladesh and have consistently called for free, fair, inclusive and participatory elections in Bangladesh."
The remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of political developments in Bangladesh ahead of the February 2026 elections. The MEA said it was closely monitoring the situation following the return of former prime minister's son Tarique Rahman, even as concerns persist over the broader political and social environment.