Former Bangladeshi PM Khaleda Zia placed on ventilator as health deteriorates

Doctors in Dhaka say former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia has been moved to a ventilator after her oxygen levels dropped sharply earlier this week. The 80-year-old opposition leader has been in Evercare Hospital since November 23 for multiple ongoing health complications, according to her medical team.

Members of the hospital’s medical board reported that Zia began experiencing increased difficulty breathing, prompting the shift to full respiratory support. Physicians say her condition has not shown significant improvement despite weeks of treatment.

Zia, who heads the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and served three terms as prime minister, remains a central figure in Bangladesh’s political landscape. Her health continues to be closely watched within Bangladeshi communities abroad, including in Surrey and Calgary, where large diaspora populations follow developments back home.

Her hospitalization comes at a politically sensitive time for Bangladesh, with national institutions preparing for the next election cycle. Analysts note that the uncertainty around Zia’s health may influence party dynamics and opposition activity in the coming months.