Dhaka, Nov 28 (NationPress) The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has declared the health status of its Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia as "very critical" and has called upon the nation to offer prayers for her swift recovery.

In a statement to the media in Dhaka, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir highlighted the dire nature of the party leader's health and urged the public to keep her in their thoughts.

"It is widely known that our leader Begum Khaleda Zia has fallen seriously ill and has been hospitalized. Last night (Thursday), the medical team indicated her condition is very critical," quoted the BNP leader by the Bangladeshi news source UNB.

Reports indicate that Khaleda Zia was admitted to a Dhaka hospital on November 23 following the recommendation of her medical board after being diagnosed with infections impacting her heart and lungs.

She is also facing pneumonia and remains under close monitoring in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of the facility, with both local and international specialists involved in her treatment, according to the UNB.

Khaleda Zia returned to Dhaka this past May after four months of medical care in London. She was accompanied by her two daughters-in-law: Zubaida Rahman, wife of acting party Chairman Tarique Rahman, and Syeda Sharmila Rahman, widow of the late Arafat Rahman Koko.

Upon her return at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the BNP Secretary General expressed that Khaleda Zia's presence would support the country's shift towards democracy.

“This is a momentous day for our nation. Her presence is crucial during this period of democratic transition,” said the BNP Secretary General during her arrival.

Previously, discussions in Bangladesh have centered on the anticipated return of Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, who is "actively considering" leading the party domestically.

Rahman, who has been directing the BNP from London, is at a pivotal juncture. Having recently been acquitted in significant legal cases, including the August 2004 grenade attack, he faces few legal obstacles to returning.

According to local reports, he is expected to return to Bangladesh "immediately after" the election timetable is disclosed in the first week of December.

It is worth noting that Khaleda Zia was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined Bangladeshi Taka 1 million in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case on October 29, 2018. She was held at the Central Jail in Old Dhaka.

Following the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina government by the alleged 'student-led mass movement' on August 5, Khaleda was released by President of Bangladesh Mohammed Shahabuddin through an executive order. The court also subsequently annulled her prison sentences.