Dhaka: Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Tuesday said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s medical tests will be conducted at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka if she agrees.

‘If she (Khaleda) agrees, we can arrange her medical tests at the CMH. We’ll try to ensure her best medical treatment as per the jail code,’ he told reporters at the Secretariat.

The Home Minister’s comments came when his attention was drawn to the permission sought by Khaleda’s family to bear all the expenses of her treatment if she is sent to United Hospital instead of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMUH) for treatment. Khaleda Zia’s family on Tuesday sought permission from the Home Ministry for bearing all the expenses of her treatment if she is admitted to United Hospital.

Khaleda’s younger brother Shamim Iskander sought the permission in a letter submitted to the ministry.

Replying to a question, the Home Minister said the BSMMU and Dhaka CMH are better than any private hospital as specialist doctors are available there. ‘Besides, the CMH played an important role in many crises. Considering this, Khaleda Zia will be offered to take treatment at the CMH,’ he said.

Asked if there is any scope of considering permission for the BNP chief’s treatment at the United Hospital, Asaduzzaman said, ‘I don’t think there’s any logic behind it. I think there can be no logic behind not going to the CMH.’

Asaduzzaman said they will take the next course of action considering the situation if Khaleda or her family reject the proposal of taking treatment at the CMH.

Earlier on June 9, four personal physicians of the BNP chairperson expressed fear that she might have suffered a mild stroke at the Old Central Jail.

Later, the jail authorities took an initiative to conduct medical tests requested by her personal physicians and said all those tests would be conducted at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

Khaleda Zia on Tuesday morning refused to go to BSMMU for the necessary tests and treatment.

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