Health officials visited Tamim at the Savar Hospital on Tuesday and Abdul Wadud Chowdhury, director of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, said he had to be extremely careful over the next three days.
“This morning his heart function seemed fine,” Chowdhury said at a press conference. “There may be an abnormal beat again. The risk is low. Less than 1%. But if it happens, then it is a 100% risk for that patient. Tamim is our national asset. He should stay at KPJ Hospital for 48 to 72 hours. Then he will be able to move.
“We told him that there is a slight risk so that there are no further problems, that the next 48-72 hours are a critical period. He should talk less. He should rest a little. He should not be excited in any way. The initial period is for him to stabilise here for a while and then he can go to a good place for his rehabilitation.”
Tamim was leading Mohammedan Sporting Club in a Dhaka Premier League match in BKSP in Savar when he was taken ill and had to be rushed to hospital for an angioplasty.
Chowdhury said Tamim could play cricket again in three months if his recovery goes according to plan. “48 to 72 hours is risky. And he will have to be given three months to return to normal activities like sports. Apart from that, he will do normal activities and walk at home. But he will have to rest.”
On Tuesday, Tamim wrote a post on Facebook thanking the doctors. “By the grace of Allah and all your prayers, I have come back,” he wrote. “I am fortune that so many amazing people were around me in my time of need. All your efforts and prudence helped me overcome the crisis. My request is for everyone to stand by each other. I thank all of you. Keep praying for me and my family. Without you, there’s no Tamim Iqbal.”
