khaleda Zia to return home in April with two daughters-in-law

If all goes well, BNP Chairperson and three-time former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will return home from London by the last week of this April. She will be accompanied by her eldest son Tarique Rahman's wife Dr. Zobaida Rahman and younger son late Arafat Rahman Koko's wife Syeda Shamila Rahman.

Reliable diplomatic sources in Dhaka and London confirmed this information to More News.

According to sources, Khaleda Zia, who is currently undergoing treatment at her eldest son Tarique Rahman's house in the UK, is undergoing a complete health check-up. Although her physical condition is stable, she is not completely out of danger. As per the advice of doctors, preparations are underway to bring her back to the country in a special air ambulance from Qatar. As per the plan, Khaleda Zia will return home by Wednesday, April 30. She will be accompanied by her two daughters-in-law—Zobaida Rahman and Syeda Shamila Rahman.

A diplomatic source in Dhaka said that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir recently sent a letter to the interim government's Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain to take necessary measures to repatriate Khaleda Zia.

The letter mentioned that the former prime minister is currently in London for advanced treatment. Although her physical condition is stable, it is not risk-free. According to the doctors' advice, there is a need to use a special air ambulance and she is willing to return home in the last week of April.

The sources said that in view of Mirza Fakhrul's letter, the Bangladesh government has started preparations to repatriate Khaleda Zia through the Bangladesh embassies in London and Doha. If everything goes well, she will be brought home within the stipulated time.

It is worth noting that Khaleda Zia was arrested in 2018 in two corruption cases and was imprisoned in the Old Dhaka Central Jail. Later, the government released her under special consideration during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the context of the fall of the Awami League government after the student uprising on August 5 last year, President Md. Shahabuddin released her on a special order. At the same time, the court quashed the verdicts in the corruption cases against her.

On January 8 this year, she was taken to London for advanced treatment. After undergoing treatment for 17 consecutive days, she was taken to Tarique Rahman's house on January 25. Khaleda Zia celebrated Eid with her family members for the first time in almost six years. Previously, she had spent four consecutive Eids in prison or hospital while in prison.

She is currently suffering from various complex physical problems including liver cirrhosis, kidney, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.

Incidentally, Khaleda Zia's last foreign trip was on July 15, 2017, when she went to London. After that, she did not travel abroad again for seven long years.