Ershad’s condition critical, on Oxygen support at CMH

Dhaka, June 30 – The health condition of Jatiya Party (JP) chairman HM Ershad, who has been suffering from low haemoglobin and liver complications, has deteriorated seriously yesterday.
He is on oxygen support at this moment.
The JP chairman was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka (CMH) after his health condition deteriorated on June 27 due to old age complications.
The 89-year-old army-officer–turned politician became inactive in politics and was hardly seen at any programme since mid-November last.
The former military ruler has been suffering from various old age complications, including low haemoglobin and liver problem, high bilirubin and serious keen pain.
“The health condition of party chairman has deteriorated and kept him on oxygen support at CMH. The saturation level of lung is very high,” JP acting chairman GM Quader said while talking to reporters during a press briefing at Ershad’s Banani political office yesterday.
At least 50 per cent health condition was improved till Saturday, Quader, the younger brother of Ershad said, adding, “but suddenly his health condition is deteriorating since Sunday morning. Doctors diagnosed the health condition of the party chairman and found the saturation level of lung is very high, which also infected.”
Quader said Ershad is on oxygen support at this moment due to his breathing problem.
“Now doctors are treating to stop infection changing medicines. We have decision to take my brother abroad for treatment—but it is now depending on the physician’s directives,” the JP acting chairman said.
He said they have full confident on CMH doctors for treatment of Ershad.
“The doctors assume following diagnostic reports that my brother’s health condition to be improved,” Quader said.
When asked Ershad’s treatment was hampering due to financial crisis, he replied, “it is totally baseless and wrong that my brother’s treatment is hampering due to fund crisis. I am ready to spend my all assets for my brother’s treatment. Besides, he is still now the leader of opposition in Parliament.”
HM Ershad is former president and also ex-army chief—so the state will bear his treatment cost too, Quader said in reply to a query.
JP secretary general Mashiur Rahman Ranga on Thursday had told the parliament that it was not possible to treat their party chairman Ershad due to financial crisis.
Ranga, who was also present at the press briefing, said, “the media has presented his statement wrongly. I just replied to a BNP lawmaker Haroon’s statement in Parliament. The BNP-led government had tried to probe Ershad a corrupt person. But they failed to probe it and now BNP’s chairperson Khaleda Zia is in jail for corruption charges.”
Among others, party presidium members Kazi Firoz Rashid, Syed Abu Hossain Babla and Sunil Shuvo Roy were present during press briefing.
Ershad’s declining health condition came to the spotlight as he was admitted to the CMH on November 27 last, before the national election.
Ershad returned to Bangladesh on December 26, just ahead of the general election after treatment in a Singapore hospital.
He pulled himself out of the electoral race in the Dhaka-17 seat citing his illness, but contested in the Rangpur-3 constituency without campaigning and won the election.
Ershad again went to Singapore on Jan 20 last for treatment and returned home on February 4.
Jatiya Party which joined the 11th parliamentary election as the key partner of the Awami League-led Grand Alliance bagged 22 seats and Ershad was elected MP from Rangpur 3.
In April, Ershad formed a trust and donated all of his assets to it. – Staff Reporter