Jail sources said Nasir was given first aid for chest pain and high blood pressure and then shifted to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital. He is now at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital.

Brigader General Golam Mostafa, director of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical Collage Hospital, yesterday said the condition of Mir Nasir is improving.

The joint forces arrested Mir Nasir at his Gulshan residence in the capital in the early hours of February 4. He was shifted from Dhaka Central Jail to Bogra Jail on February 12.

Meanwhile, Bogra municipality Chairman and former BNP district unit president advocate Mahbubur Rahman met Mir Nasir at his hospital cabin yesterday noon violating rules.

As the incident created strong criticism, authorities withdrew Deputy Jailer Fazlul Haq and Sub-Inspector Saiful Islam--the latter was guarding Nasir's cabin--for negligence of duty. A committee was formed to probe the matter.

Bogra Deputy Commissioner Abdul Gani admitted that Mahbubur did not take permission for the visit and that only family members can meet a detainee once a month.

Mahbubur also admitted to visiting Nasir for "only 10-15 minutes" but claimed that he met him "mistakenly".

"I went to meet two leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal but mistakenly entered Mir Nasir's cabin," he told reporters.