Dhaka: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday refused to go to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) for her necessary tests and treatment.

‘Khaleda Zia did not agree to go to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital today (Tuesday),’ said Jahangir Kabir, senior jail super of Dhaka Central Jail, reports the UNB.

Earlier on Monday, Inspector General (Prisons) Brigadier General Syed Iftekhar Uddin said if BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia agrees, then she would be taken to BSMMU on Tuesday.

The IG Prisons also said when she was first taken to BSMMU, she had some observations. The jail authorities then requested the hospital to take steps to address those issues accordingly.

Refuting BNP’s demand to take her to United Hospital, Brigadier General Iftekhar said as per the Jail code, they can only take her to a public hospital.

‘BSMMUH is currently the best state-run hospital in the city,’ he added.

Asked by a reporter whether the BNP chairperson had fainted, the IG said it was not correct as she had ‘lost balance, but she is much better now.’

‘We would not say that she is fully healthy, given her advance age and suffering from various diseases, including diabetes. But our observation is that she is fine,’ he added.

The jail authorities had taken into consideration the number of medical tests requested by her personal physicians and said that all those tests would be conducted at BSMMU.

On February 8, Khaleda Zia was sent to jail after a special court sentenced her to five years’ rigorous imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.