Bangladesh ex-PM Zia in 'very critical' condition

• Son Tarique Rahman in London urges nation to pray.
• BNP leaders, supporters crowd Dhaka hospital for updates.
• Interim leader Yunus says Zia’s recovery is important for country.

DHAKA: Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia's health deteriorated since being admitted to hospital, prompting her family and party members to urge citizens to pray for her speedy recovery on Saturday.

Zia, 80, was admitted to hospital on November 23 with symptoms of a lung infection and is currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit, members of her party said.

Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir, from Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), told reporters late Friday that "doctors have told us that her condition is very critical".

Several senior BNP leaders and anxious supporters visited the hospital Saturday to receive updates on her condition.

English-language newspaper, The Daily Star, said Zia has "heart problems, liver and kidney issues, diabetes, lung problems, arthritis, and eye-related illnesses".

She has a permanent pacemaker and previously underwent stenting for her heart, the publication reported.

Zia's eldest son, Tarique Rahman, who is based in London since 2008, requested the people of Bangladesh pray for his mother's recovery in a post to social media on Saturday.

"We express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for all your prayers and love for the highly respected Begum Khaleda Zia," Rahman, 60, said.

Rahman said he was unable to return to Bangladesh because of circumstances that were beyond his control.

"I share the same deep longing as any child to have my mother's touch in moments of crisis. However, the decision to return home is neither straightforward nor mine alone to make," he said.

Zia, who served three terms as prime minister, was jailed for corruption in 2018 under Sheikh Hasina's government, which also barred her from travelling abroad for medical treatment.

She was released last year, shortly after Hasina's ouster.

Interim leader Muhammad Yunus also issued a statement.

"During this transitional period to democracy, Khaleda Zia is a source of utmost inspiration for the nation. Her recovery is very important for the country," he said on Friday night.

Despite her ill health, Zia has vowed to campaign in elections expected in February 2026, in which BNP is widely seen as a frontrunner.