Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s physical condition has remained ‘very critical’.

The BNP vice-chairman, Ahmed Azam Khan, described her condition as ‘very deep and critical’, with no significant improvement reported as of Monday afternoon.

‘She has not yet come to a condition that we can speak of positively. We urge the entire nation to pray for her. Madam [Khaleda Zia] is in a very deep condition,’ Azam told reporters outside Evercare Hospital in the capital Dhaka at about 1:45pm on Monday.

He declined to explain the term ‘deep condition’, saying that he did not wish to elaborate further.

He said that at that moment there was nothing more to say except to request prayers from the nation, adding that doctors were trying for her recovery tirelessly.

Azam said that specialists from the United States, the United Kingdom and Bangladesh had long been involved in her treatment, and that Chinese doctors had now joined the medical team as well.

Avoiding the use of specific medical terminology, Azam emphasised repeatedly that Khaleda Zia’s current state was grave.

‘Whether it is CCU to ICU, ICU to ventilation or life support, I will not comment on those transitions. What I can say is that Madam is in a very critical condition,’ he said.

Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital on November 23, and after examinations, doctors confirmed that she had developed a lung infection.

The 79-year-old politician has long been suffering from multiple health conditions, including arthritis, diabetes, kidney complications, and eye problems.

She travelled to London for advanced treatment on January 7 and returned to Bangladesh on May 6 after 117 days of medical care.