Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain (Kaikobad) is set to undergo a total hip replacement surgery at Singapore General Hospital on Friday afternoon, according to a Facebook statement by his younger brother, Kazi Shah Arfin.

Arfin said the minister suffered a serious injury to his right hip in early 2011 after slipping on a staircase while going downstairs for Fajr prayers. He was flown to Singapore, where doctors repaired the damaged hip joint instead of replacing it in the hopes that it would continue functioning for many years.

However, later that year, Kaikobad was forced to leave the country due to a politically motivated case filed against him by the then government under Awami League, Arfin said. He also alleged that travel restrictions imposed on the minister prevented him from returning to Singapore for regular follow-up treatment, causing the condition of his repaired hip to deteriorate over time.

After returning to Bangladesh following the political changeover, Kaikobad was elected to parliament and later appointed religious affairs minister.

Arfin said the minister continued to carry out his official duties, including responsibilities related to this year's Hajj operations, despite experiencing persistent hip pain.

According to the statement, the minister recently returned to Singapore for a comprehensive medical evaluation, where doctors found that the cartilage in his hip joint had completely worn away and the joint space between the bones had disappeared.

They advised that a total hip replacement was the only effective option to relieve pain and restore normal mobility.

The surgery is scheduled to begin at around 2:00 pm Singapore time at Singapore General Hospital, Arfin said, urging people to pray for the minister's successful operation and speedy recovery.