London: BNP chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia is set to leave London for Bangladesh at 4:10 pm London time today, aboard a special air ambulance provided by Qatar’s Emir. Her son and acting BNP chairman Tarique Rahman will drive her to Heathrow Airport, as confirmed by Khaleda’s personal physician, Prof AZM Zahid Hossain, who is currently in London.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced that Khaleda Zia is expected to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Tuesday at 10 am. From there, she will travel to her residence in Gulshan via Kakali. Mirza Fakhrul urged supporters not to gather on the streets to avoid disrupting the ongoing SSC examinations, suggesting that those wishing to welcome the BNP chief should stand on the footpath instead. Party members have been instructed to greet her with national and party flags.
Khaleda’s residence, Feroza, in Gulshan, has been prepared for her return. She will be accompanied by her daughters-in-law, Zubaida Rahman and Syeda Shamila Rahman, along with her personal physician, Prof AZM Zahid Hossain. The flight will make a stopover in Doha on its journey from London to Dhaka.
Begum Zia, who has been dealing with health issues, traveled to London on January 8. After 17 days of treatment at a London clinic, she was moved to her son’s residence on January 25 under the care of specialist doctors Prof Patrick Kennedy and Professor Jennifer Cross from the London Clinic.