[🇧🇩] Monitoring Khaleda Zia's political and health issues

[Saif]

Khaleda Zia to attend public rally after 7 yrs

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will attend a rally of the Jatiotabadi Muktijoddha Dal as the chief guest on 21 December. With this, she’s going to join a political programme for the first time in seven years.

en.prothomalo.com

Khaleda Zia to attend public rally after 7 yrs
Special Correspondent
Dhaka
Updated: 15 Dec 2024, 16: 19

BNP chairperson Khaleda ZiaFile photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia will attend a rally of the Jatiotabadi Muktijoddha Dal as the chief guest on 21 December. With this, she’s going to join a political programme for the first time in seven years.

Jatiotabadi Muktijoddha Dal president Istiaq Aziz Ulfat told Prothom Alo today, Sunday, that he along with BNP standing committee member Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed met with party chairperson Khaleda Zia Saturday night.

He said that they invited the BNP chairperson to attend the rally of the Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal as the chief guest.

Istiaq Aziz Ulfat mentioned that former prime minister Khaleda Zia has accepted their invitation and promised to attend the rally in person. Acting chairperson of BNP, Tarique Rahman will also join the rally virtually from London.

The rally is being organised at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city at 2:00 pm on 21 December.

BNP along with its associated and affiliated organisations is holding different programmes on the occasion of the victory day. The Jatiotabadi Muktijoddha Dal is organising that rally as part of the programmes.

Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat further stated that the freedom fighters will be coming to Dhaka from all over the country and join the rally on 21 December.

The last time BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia had addressed a rally of her party was on 12 November 2017 at the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka. Later, she was arrested on 8 February 2018.

Khaleda Zia was sentenced to imprisonment in two cases of corruption under the rule of the then government of Bangladesh Awami League. She was in prison for more than two years.

Then on 25 March 2020, the government suspended her sentence to free her on conditions through an executive order. Since then the government had been extending the suspension on her sentence every six months based on appeals.

After ruling for 15 and a half years at a stretch, the AL government fell in the face of a mass uprising led by students on 5 August. Khaleda Zia was freed with a presidential order the very next day on 6 August.

Regarding her release, a press release sent from the Bangabhaban, the official residence of the president, stated that Khaleda Zia has been freed following a meeting of President Mohammed Shahabuddin with chiefs of three services, leaders of different political parties, representatives of civil society and leaders of Students Against Discrimination movement.

Khaleda Zia then attended a reception at Senakunja on the occasion of the Armed Forces day on 21 November after more than a decade. Now after seven years, she’s going to attend a political programme, a rally organised by the Jatiotabadi Muktijoddha Dal on 21 December.

Speaking about this, BNP chairperson’s media wing official Shamsuddin Didar told Prothom Alo, “With the rally of freedom fighters, Khaleda Zia is joining a public rally or a political programme in a free environment after seven long years.”​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda going to UK early January

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia is likely to travel to London in the first half of January for advanced treatment.

www.newagebd.net

Khaleda going to UK early January
Staff Correspondent 25 December, 2024, 17:40

UNB file photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia is likely to travel to London in the first half of January for advanced treatment.

‘Preparations are underway to take her to the United Kingdom in the first half of January, if she remains fit for the air journey,’ said her personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain.

However, any specific date for the travel is yet to be set, said Zahid, also a standing committee member of the BNP.

BNP leaders said that Khaleda Zia would first go to London in the UK, where her eldest son and the party acting chairperson, Tarique Rahman, along with his family has been living since 2008.

After staying there for a few days, she will travel to the United States for treatment of her liver complications, they said.

They also said that all preparations had been made for the BNP chairperson’s treatment at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital in East Baltimore, Maryland in the US.

She has already obtained visas for the UK and the US, they said.

A 15-member delegation which includes Khaled’s late son Arafat Rahman’s wife Syeda Sharmila Rahman, some physicians and BNP leaders, her personal secretary and two housemaids will accompany her during her London trip.

Khaleda’s office has already informed the foreign affairs ministry about her treatment abroad, including details of her entourage members.

Earlier, in October 2023, three US specialist doctors completed the hepatic procedure, known as the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, to stop water accretion in Khaleda’s stomach and chest, and bleeding in her liver.

Her doctors have been recommending sending her abroad since she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in November 2021.

The 79-year-old former prime minister is suffering from various complications, including liver cirrhosis, heart disease, lung disease, arthritis, kidney disease and diabetes.

She had to undergo long-term treatment through a medical board coordinated by specialist doctors, including being kept in the ICU at various times at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.

Khaleda Zia was sent to the Old Dhaka Central Jail on February 8, 2018, after a special judge court sentenced her to five years in imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

But in October of that year, the sentence was increased to 10 years after an appeal hearing in the High Court.

Later, the BNP chief was also sentenced to another seven years in jail in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

Amid the Covid outbreak, the then government temporarily freed Khaleda from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020 on conditions that she would stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country.

On March 25 of that year, Khaleda returned to her Gulshan house after being temporarily released.

Since then, Sheikh Hasina’s government which was ousted on August 5 amid a mass uprising had been extending her release every six months at the request of her family.

After her temporary release, she had to be hospitalised with critical condition for several times for treatment.

Although, Khaleda’s family had applied several times to send her abroad, Sheikh Hasina’s government had repeatedly rejected it.

A day after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, Khaleda was completely freed by an order issued by president Mohammed Shahabuddin.

The BNP chief returned to her Gulshan residence on August 21 after undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital for a month.

Khaleda Zia was also suddenly admitted to Evercare Hospital on the night of September 12. Later, she returned home after six days of treatment.​

 

[Saif]

No bar for Khaleda to participate in next election

There is no legal bar for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to participate in the next general election, said Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman yesterday.

www.thedailystar.net

No bar for Khaleda to participate in next election
Says attorney general

There is no legal bar for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to participate in the next general election, said Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman yesterday.

"The false cases filed against Khaleda Zia have already been settled," he said.

The attorney general was speaking at a shadow parliament organised by Debate for Democracy at the FDC in the capital.

"If convicted of killing in July, many Awami League leaders, including Sheikh Hasina, would be ineligible to participate in the election," he said.

AL's participation is not crucial to make elections inclusive, he added.

"Those who destroyed the election process, tore the constitution apart, and violated people's rights have been identified as the villains of history."

The attorney general also said the martyrs of the July uprising will forever be remembered as great heroes.

This revolution was driven by the spirit of the Liberation War and the determination to build a Bangladesh free from discrimination.

"Efforts are being made to undermine the achievements of this revolution, but no conspirator will succeed."

Chairman of Debate for Democracy Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron said former chief justice Khairul Haque had annulled the caretaker government process with the malicious intention of keeping the previous fascist Awami League government in power indefinitely.

"The fallen Awami League government deprived the people of their right to vote. The Awami League has completely destroyed the electoral process through fraudulent, one-sided, and midnight elections," he said.

In the last three elections, the Election Commission, administration, police, returning officers, and polling officers and others were guilty of fraud, he added.

"All those who committed these electoral crimes must be brought to justice."

Kiron made 10 recommendations to ensure future elections are fair and acceptable.

These include taking initiatives to bring to justice all those involved in electoral crimes, including members of the Election Commission; implementing strict legal provisions to prevent corrupt individuals from participating in elections; repealing all laws that may hinder the media from freely reporting on elections; and ensuring that the EC is independent.​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda will fly to London for treatment tomorrow

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said party Chairperson Khaleda Zia would fly to London tomorrow night for treatment.

www.thedailystar.net

Khaleda will fly to London for treatment tomorrow
Says Fakhrul after top BNP leaders meet her

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said party Chairperson Khaleda Zia would fly to London tomorrow night for treatment.

He told reporters after BNP Standing Committee members met the party chief at her Gulshan residence last night.

The meeting was attended by Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, and AZM Zahid Hossain.

In another development, LDP President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram visited Khaleda at her residence in the evening.

During the meeting, he inquired about her health, said Oli Ahmed's Press Secretary Salah Uddin Razzak.The 79-year-old former prime minister has been battling multiple health complications, including arthritis, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, and kidney ailments, and requires specialised care unavailable in Bangladesh, according to her doctors.

According to the party sources, Khaleda is expected to stay with her son, Tarique Rahman, in London before heading to the US for treatment of her ongoing liver complications.​

 

[Saif]

চিকিৎসার জন্য মঙ্গলবার রাতে লন্ডন যাচ্ছেন খালেদা জিয়া: ফখরুল

 

[Saif]

Khaleda to leave Dhaka today for treatment in London

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia is scheduled for today to leave Dhaka for London for medical treatment.

www.newagebd.net

Khaleda to leave Dhaka today for treatment in London
Staff Correspondent 06 January, 2025, 15:05

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia. | File photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia is scheduled for today to leave Dhaka for London for medical treatment.

She would be admitted to the London Clinic in the United Kingdom for advanced treatment, BNP standing committee member AZM Zahid Hossain said at a briefing at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office on Monday.

‘After completing all the necessary formalities, the BNP chairperson is scheduled to depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10:00pm on Tuesday on a special air ambulance provided by the emir of Qatar, with the planned route, including stops in Doha and London’s Heathrow International Airport,’ he said.

Khaleda would be taken to London Clinic directly from Heathrow International Airport and she would be undergoing treatment at the hospital, Zahid, also the personal physician of the BNP chairperson.

He said that Qatar emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani provided the special aircraft of the royal fleet to Khaleda after learning about the illness of the BNP chairperson.

The special air ambulance will have four doctors and paramedics from Qatar onboard while six members of Khaleda’s medical board from Dhaka will accompany her on the flight.

The medical team includes Shahabuddin Talukder, FM Siddique, Naruddin Ahmed, Zafar Iqbal, AZM Zahid Hossain and Mohammad Al Mamun.

Besides, Khaleda is accompanied by her late son Aarafat Rahman’s wife Sharmila Rahman Shithi, BNP chairperson’s advisory council member Enamul Haque Chowdhury, BNP executive committee member Tabith Awal and her private secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, along with a few personal staff, Zahid said.

Khaleda, 79, has long been suffering from several health complications, including liver cirrhosis, heart disease and kidney problems.

‘The patient, currently under treatment for multiple ailments, is being taken to the London Clinic, a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary centre, where doctors will evaluate his condition and decide the next course of action,’ Zahid said.

If the London Clinic recommends, Khaleda may need to be taken to Johns Hopkins University Hospital in the United States, he said in response to a question.

‘The London Clinic will determine the next course of treatment,’ he said.

He said that the BNP chairperson had the desire to perform Umrah as a way of expressing gratitude after all the torture and hardship, but it had not been pre-decided and would depend on the circumstances.​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda Zia to be admitted to London Clinic, says personal physician

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia is to leave Dhaka for London Tuesday night and will be admitted to the clinic when she reaches London the next day

en.prothomalo.com

Khaleda Zia to be admitted to London Clinic, says personal physician
Special Correspondent
Dhaka
Updated: 06 Jan 2025, 18: 30

BNP chairperson Khaleda ZiaFile Photo

Khaleda Zia is to be admitted to "London Clinic" in the UK for advanced medical treatment. She is to leave Dhaka for the UK tomorrow (Tuesday) night and will be admitted to the clinic when she reaches London the next day.

The BNP chairperson's personal physician and the party's standing committee member AZM Zahid Hossain informed the media of the matter at a press briefing held today, Monday.

AZM Zahid said, all formalities will be cleared and madam will depart for London via Doha from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10:00 tomorrow night by a special air ambulance of the Qatar Emir. When the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani learned about the illness of Bangladesh's former prime minister, he provided a special aircraft from the royal fleet.

Zahid Hossain said, the special air ambulance of the Amir of Qatar will arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Madam will leave for London by this aircraft tomorrow night.

He further said, four physicians of Qatar and paramedics will be on the special flight. Six members of Khaleda Zia's medical board will travel by this flight from Dhaka. They are Professor Shahabuddin Talukdar, Professor FM Siddique, Professor Nuruddin Ahmed, Dr Zafar Iqbal, Professor AZM Zahid Hossain and Dr Mohammad Al Mamun.

Also on the flight will be Khaleda Zia's daughter-in-law Syeda Shamil Rahman (wife of her younger son), member of the chairperson's advisor council Enamul Huq Chowdhury, executive committee member Tabith Awal and Khaleda Zia's personal secretary ABM Abdus Sattar and a few other officials and employees.

The 79-year-old Khaleda Zia has long been suffering from liver cirrhosis, heart disease, kidney problems and other health conditions.

Prayers sought

Dr Zahid Hossain told the media, "We want to thank everyone through you for their prayers for Madam's health. People of various faith prayed for her and we express our gratitude and thanks to all. Madam thanks everyone, the party thanks everyone and our acting chairman Tarique Rahman thanks everyone."

Treatment at hospital in London

Dr Zahid said, "As we said, Madam has various physical ailments. Above all, her liver condition, that is, liver cirrhosis, called compensatory liver disease grade 2, is being treated with TIPS. There are certain technical aspects to TIPS, there is need for adjustment. After stenting in her heart, it needs to be checked if it is working well or if she needs re-stenting. We couldn't carry these things out."

Dr Zahid Hossain said, "There is need to address the other blocks she has, her chronic kidney disease needs to be checked. She faced certain post-Covid complications that need to be addressed. This is for a thorough overall checking which was done here. Our physicians, the Evercare Hospital staff are the best.... Madam, the acting chairman Tarique Rahman, the family have no dissatisfaction in this regard. Everyone is happy, we are happy also, the party is happy. She is being taken abroad for advanced medical treatment and thorough checking."

Professor Zahid said in reply to a question, "If they (London Clinic) says she needs further treatment which they don't have and needs to be taken to Johns Hopkins University Hospital, then that will be looked into."

When asked if she will go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, he said, "If she is well on her way back... but that is up to Allah. If Allah so wills, definitely Madam will do perform Umrah, but that is not pre-decided."​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda departs for London

The air ambulance ferrying the former prime minister departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:47pm

www.thedailystar.net

Khaleda departs for London

Photo: BNP Media Cell

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia departed Dhaka for advanced medical treatment in London tonight.

The air ambulance ferrying the former prime minister departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:47pm.

Earlier, her motorcade arrived at the airport at 10:51pm.

At the airport's VIP lounge, BNP standing committee members had gathered to greet their party chief and wish her safe travels.

Photo: Courtesy/BNP Media Cell

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Khaleda was jailed for six years on fabricated cases under the Awami League government's oppression.

"During her imprisonment, she fell critically ill and had to be admitted to the hospital. We repeatedly urged Sheikh Hasina to allow her to seek medical treatment abroad, but the fascist Hasina ignored our requests," Fakhrul told journalists at the airport.

"After the student and public uprising forced Hasina to flee, Khaleda Zia was released and travelled to London for medical treatment," he said.

Photo: Dipu Malakar

"She prays for the well-being of the people and the establishment of democracy," Fakhrul added.

The 79-year-old politician left her Gulshan residence, "Firoza," for the airport at 8:12pm.

The plane, sent by the emir of Qatar, was scheduled to depart at 10:00pm.

To see her off, a large number of BNP activists and supporters gathered along the roads in Gulshan, Kakoli, and near the airport.

Many people also gathered at her residence in the evening, hoping to see her once before her departure to London.

After landing in London, she is expected to be admitted to a London clinic.

After initial treatment, she may travel to the Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, USA, for further medical care, according to party insiders.​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda Zia admitted to London Clinic

Khaleda was admitted under the supervision of Patrick Kennedy, a consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist

www.thedailystar.net

Khaleda Zia admitted to London Clinic

Photo: BNP Media Cell

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was admitted to the London Clinic, a health facility, today under the supervision of Patrick Kennedy, a consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist.

This was confirmed by Shairul Kabir Khan, a member of BNP's media cell, citing Zahid Hossain, Khaleda's personal physician and a member of the party's Standing Committee.

P Kennedy, a globally recognised expert in liver diseases, is renowned for his groundbreaking work on viral liver conditions. He specialises in treating complex liver-related ailments, earning him international acclaim.​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda reunites with son Tarique after seven years

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia was directly taken to London Clinic after arriving at Heathrow International Airport in the United Kingdom on Wednesday...

www.newagebd.net

Khaleda reunites with son Tarique after seven years
Staff Correspondent 08 January, 2025, 18:20

Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman hugs his ailing mother, Khaleda Zia, the chairperson of the party, on her arrival at Heathrow International Airport in the United Kingdom on Wednesday. | New Age photo

Khaleda admitted to hospital

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia was directly taken to London Clinic after arriving at Heathrow International Airport in the United Kingdom on Wednesday.

According to the party’s media cell, the air ambulance carrying Khaleda Zia landed at Heathrow at about 9:00am local time (3:00pm Bangladesh time) on Wednesday.

Her son, party’s acting chairperson Tarique Rahman, along with his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman, welcomed Khaleda Zia at the airport in an emotional reunion as the mother met with her son after seven years.

Tarique embraced his mother and Zubaida Rahman also became visibly emotional upon meeting her mother-in-law after long separation.

The reunited family then directly left for hospital. Upon reaching London Clinic, Khaleda was admitted under Professor Patrick Kennedy, according to BNP media cell member Shairul Kabir Khan.

Party insiders confirmed that Bangladesh acting high commissioner to the UK Hazrat Ali Khan greeted Khaleda Zia at Heathrow with a bouquet of flowers.

Senior leaders of the party’s UK unit were also present to welcome the party chairperson. Several hundred party leaders and activists also gathered outside the airport at the time to greet their leader.

After completing immigration formalities, Khaleda departed for hospital in a car chauffeured by her son.

Earlier, the BNP chairperson left Dhaka at about 11:45pm on Tuesday for London for treatment in air ambulance provided by the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The 79-year-old former prime minister has long been suffering from several health issues, including liver cirrhosis, heart disease and kidney problems.

The now-ousted Awami League regime refused to let ailing Khaleda to seek medical treatment abroad, rejecting the BNP’s repeated demand.

Following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led regime through a student-led mass uprising on August 5, 2024, all cases against Khaleda Zia were dismissed through an executive order, paving the way for her to travel abroad for treatment.

Khaleda Zia last travelled to London on July 16, 2017 for follow-up treatment. Upon her return, she was imprisoned in early 2018 in connection with several cases.​

 

[Saif]

Tarique Rahman drives Khaleda Zia to hospital from airport

He started from the airport at 10:15 am (local time) and reached the hospital around 11:00 am, accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman.

en.prothomalo.com

Tarique Rahman drives Khaleda Zia to hospital from airport
Saidul Islam
London
Published: 08 Jan 2025, 19: 32

Tarique Rahman with his wife on the front passenger seat driving his mother to the hospital from the London airport on 8 January, 2024. Prothom Alo

Tarique Rahman has driven his mother Khaleda Zia to a hospital in central London, immediately after her flight landed at the Heathrow airport.

He started from the airport at 10:15 am (local time) and reached the hospital around 11:00 am, accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman.

Khaleda Zia will receive advanced treatment there as she has long been suffering from various health complications, including liver cirrhosis, kidney and heart-related ailment, diabetes, and arthritis.


Earlier, a special air ambulance with former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and a medical team on board landed at the airport around 9:05 am.

Her elder son Tarique, acting chairman of the BNP, along with his wife, welcomed her at the airport, while the acting high-commissioner of Bangladesh in the UK, Hazrat Ali Khan, received her with a flower bucket.

The BNP chief last visited London on 15 July 2017. Since then, she has not met her son who has been in exile in the UK as she was not allowed to depart the country.

To welcome her in London, a large number of BNP leaders and activists, including BNP’s UK wing president MA Khalek and its general secretary Kaisar M Ahmad, gathered at the airport.

She is supposed to leave the airport through the royal VVIP gate of the airport, upon completion of immigration formalities.

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani provided the special air ambulance from the royal fleet after learning about the illness of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Four doctors and paramedics from Qatar and six members of Khaleda Zia's medical board from Dhaka accompanied her in the air ambulance.​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda Zia’s condition stable in London clinic

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who was undergoing treatment at the London Clinic with multiple diseases, was in stable condition.

www.newagebd.net

Khaleda Zia’s condition stable in London clinic
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Dhaka 10 January, 2025, 22:10

Khaleda Zia speaks to her daughter-in-law Zubaida Rahman in London. | BSS photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who was undergoing treatment at the London Clinic with multiple diseases, was in stable condition.

After being admitted to the clinic on Wednesday, her eldest son and BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, who is in London, was with her until midnight. At that time, Khaleda Zia took food cooked by her daughter-in-law Zubaida Rahman. Tarique took breakfast from home for her mother Thursday morning, a UK BNP leader said.

Khaleda Zia went to London by a special air ambulance sent by the emir of Qatar from Bangladesh Tuesday night for advanced treatment. Later, the BNP chairperson was taken directly to the London Clinic, a specialised hospital in the West London.

The former prime minister’s treatment began there under professor Patrick Kennedy, said her personal physician and BNP standing committee member professor AZM Zahid Hossain.

Khaleda Zia has been suffering from various health complications for a long time. She was admitted to Evercare Hospital 15 times due to various diseases. The doctors of the medical board always recommended her for further treatment at the multidisciplinary advance centre abroad. But she was not given the opportunity to receive treatment abroad.

The changed situation after the fall of the Awami League government made it easier for Khaleda to get better treatment abroad.

A member of the BNP media cell said Thursday night that professor Kennedy would take the advice of the specialist doctors who needed to be consulted while keeping Khaleda Zia admitted in the hospital.

He also said that Khaleda Zia was quite cheerful. Her morale was very strong and physical condition was stable.​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda Zia's physical condition is improving: Physicians

Physical condition of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who is undergoing treatment at London Clinic, UK is improving. Bangladeshi journalist staying in London Shaheed Shafique quoted BNP Standing Committee member and chairperson’s personal physician Professor Dr A

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Khaleda Zia's physical condition is improving: Physicians
BSS
Published :
Jan 11, 2025 23:42
Updated :
Jan 11, 2025 23:42

Physical condition of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who is undergoing treatment at London Clinic, UK is improving.

Bangladeshi journalist staying in London Shaheed Shafique quoted BNP Standing Committee member and chairperson’s personal physician Professor Dr AZM Zahid Hossain as saying, "Madam is better today (Saturday) than Thursday, her physical condition is improving.”

He said despite today was weekend (holiday) in London doctors are intensively monitoring Begum Zia’s treatment at the London Clinic as her health check-ups are also underway.

“She is spending time with her family. She is very happy and smiling. Please pray for Madam,” said Dr Zahid.

UK BNP President MA Malek said Begum Zia is doing very well now. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, is always with her mother as well as her daughter-in-law Dr Zubaida Rahman and granddaughters are there.

She was admitted to London Clinic on January 8 for advanced medical treatment. In this specialised hospital, she is undergoing treatment under the supervision of specialist physician Professor Dr Patrick Kennedy.

Begum Khaleda Zia arrived at London's Heathrow International Airport at 2:55 pm (Bangladesh Time) in a special air ambulance equipped with modern medical facilities sent by the Emir of Qatar from Dhaka via Qatar.

After completing immigration procedures at the airport, she was taken directly to the London Clinic and admitted under Professor Kennedy after reviewing previous medical reports.​

 

[Saif]

Khaleda still a symbol of unity and solidarity for BNP

Writer and researcher Mahiuddin Ahmad has written a political narrative about Khaleda Zia, titled 'Khaleda'. In this context, he commented, "Our political field has many players. Each one is a window through which a particular time period can be seen and understood. After Maulana Abdul Hamid...

en.prothomalo.com

Khaleda still a symbol of unity and solidarity for BNP
Sohrab Hassan
Updated: 13 Jan 2025, 22: 32

Tarique Rahman welcomes his mother Khaleda Zia in LondonBSS

Writer and researcher Mohiuddin Ahmad has written a political chronicle about Khaleda Zia, titled “Khaleda”. In this book, he commented, “Our political field has many players. Each one is a window through which a particular time period can be seen and understood. After Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sirajul Alam Khan, Siraj Sikder, and Tajuddin Ahmad, my current subject is Khaleda Zia.”

When politicians are in power, it is hard to understand their true popularity. State-run media and loyal propagandists place leaders on pedestals and constantly promote their glory. Politicians often use various tactics to inculcate “mandatory” reverence among their party members and supporters. Praising the leader becomes an essential task for party workers to retain their positions. However, once they are ousted from power, we often see their magnified glory dissipate like a bubble.

Among the politicians who have earned widespread respect and reverence from the people, even when out of power, Khaleda Zia undoubtedly is one of them. Many people, who are not aligned with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) or its ideologies, still admire Khaleda Zia as a politician.

This respect has been earned through her personal etiquette and courtesy. She talks less, which can also be seen as a virtue. In contemporary Bangladesh, it seems no politician is as popular as she is. Since 1991, Khaleda Zia has not lost any elections. Even in elections where BNP lost, she managed to garner record numbers of votes in every constituency.

In 2007, when a military-backed government took power, numerous cases were filed against the two female leaders, eventually leading to their arrests. However, after struggling to deal with both domestic and international situations, they were forced to release them. Former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee’s book “The Coalition Years” provides fascinating details on this matter.

Many people, who are not aligned with BNP or its ideologies, still admire Khaleda Zia as a politician. This respect has been earned through her personal etiquette and courtesy

The military-backed government’s targets were the two female leaders and their respective parties. Yet, after the Awami League came to power in 2009, all the cases against Sheikh Hasina were swiftly disposed of, while Khaleda Zia’s cases remained unresolved. In 2018, she was sentenced in two “controversial” cases and sent to prison.

Since then, political activities of Khaleda Zia have apparently come to a halt. After serving 25 months in prison, the Awami League government suspended her sentence through an executive order but did not permit her to go abroad for treatment.

In contrast, many others, including the late president HM Ershad and former minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, had been granted bail after being convicted in corruption cases. During this time, Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, residing in London, has been running the party as the acting chairman.

Even though Khaleda Zia has not been involved in political activities, she is still regarded as the main pillar and hope of BNP. After the mass uprising in July that led to the fall of the Awami League government, the travel ban on Khaleda Zia was lifted. After several months of preparation, she traveled to London on 7 January 2025, in an air ambulance provided by the Qatar Emir. She is currently receiving treatment at the London Clinic.

There appears to be no substantial basis for the political speculation surrounding her trip to London. The situation in 2007 and 2025 is not the same. In 2007, the conflict between BNP and Awami League pushed the country towards a catastrophic situation. One of the key figures behind the changeover in power in 1/11, Moeen U Ahmed, explained the background of the situation in his memoir “Shantir Swopne: Somoyer Smiritcharon”.

The political transitions in 17 years between these two events are significantly different. The 1/11 event happened by the military’s unilateral decision, with no active role from the politicians.

In contrast, the 2024 change of power came about through an uprising of students and the people, where the military did not oppose the people. Rather, they welcomed the change and played a role in forming the interim government.

Recently, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman stated in an interview with Prothom Alo that the military has no intention of entering politics, and instead, they support the democratic process and interim government.

There has been political discussion about a meeting between Khaleda Zia and the army chief before her departure, but this seems mostly speculative. A member of BNP’s standing committee told Prothom Alo, “She (Khaleda Zia) is going abroad for treatment. The army chief and his wife visited her to inquire about her health. As far as I know, the meeting was solely about her health and treatment, not politics or anything else.” (Prothom Alo, 5 January 2025)

According to BBC reports, while Khaleda Zia’s trip to London for treatment has brought both relief and concern within BNP, there is much speculation within the party about how the absence of the two top leaders might affect the situation. This indicates that Khaleda Zia’s presence is crucial for both her party and democracy in Bangladesh.

When asked about the delay in her departure at the end of December, a central leader of BNP said, “Given her current physical condition, there is no obstacle for her to go abroad. However, many things depend on her presence in the country.”

Although he didn’t elaborate, he acknowledged that there is some internal pressure in the BNP. Violent clashes have occurred in various places over potential candidates for the upcoming elections. Actions have been taken against several central leaders, but the situation remains unresolved.

At this moment, the party leaders and workers are somewhat concerned about the absence of both the party chief and the acting chairman. The people of the country also hope that after receiving treatment, Khaleda Zia will return to lead the party again. She is seen as the symbol of unity and solidarity within the party.

Questions have also arisen about when Tarique Rahman will return to the country. A member of BNP’s standing committee said recently, “The environment is not yet conducive for Tarique Rahman’s return.”

Is he suggesting something about the cases filed against him, or is there another reason? If it’s about the cases, there may not be much concern as most of the cases against Khaleda and Tarique are close to final resolution.

While it’s unclear when the conducive environment for Tarique Rahman’s return will be created, Khaleda Zia’s trip to London is undoubtedly not an exit; it signals a potential political return.

* Sohrab Hassan is joint editor at Prothom Alo and a poet.

** This op-ed appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Rabiul Islam​