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

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[🇧🇩] Monitoring Khaleda Zia's political and health issues
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Khaleda Zia’s bank accounts unfrozen after 17 years

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File photo

The National Board of Revenue has instructed banks to unfreeze the accounts of Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia, a move that comes 17 years after it had ordered banks to block her accounts.

In August 2007, the NBR's Central Intelligence Cell directed banks to freeze the accounts of the BNP chairperson, who has been elected Bangladesh's prime minister twice since 1990.

The decision to freeze the accounts was based on a recommendation of a panel formed during the then Army-backed caretaker government, said a senior official of the NBR.

Since then, her accounts have remained blocked although the BNP has on several occasions demanded they be unfrozen.

The latest move came weeks after a mass uprising toppled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a long-time rival of Khaleda, on August 5, ending the Bangladesh Awami League's 15-year rule.

The NBR official added that they had received an application seeking to unfreeze the accounts from Khaleda's lawyer on Sunday.

"As there are no tax-related issues pending investigation relating to her, we have advised banks to unlock all her accounts. We have asked them to take immediate action and provide a compliance report," the official added.​
 

Khaleda to go abroad for advance treatment
Staff Correspondent 18 August, 2024, 21:41

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Khaleda Zia. | File photo.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia would go abroad for advance treatment as soon as possible although the destination is not finalised yet, her personal physician and the party’s standing committee member AZM Zahid Hossain said on Sunday.

‘BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will go abroad as soon as possible for advance treatment. But where would she go and get treatment from which hospital have not been finalised yet,’ Zhaid told reporters following a visit of National Institute of Opthalmology and Hospital where several students and people who were injured during the recent student-people uprising.

He also said that the physical condition of Khaleda Zia was now being monitored.

‘In due course, she will be taken abroad for treatment,’ he said.

Zahid said that more than 750 people, injured during the protest, received treatment in this hospital while many of them have returned home.

Many require long-term treatment, he said, adding that currently 11 patients are very critical here.

A day after Awami League president Sheikh Hasina’s fall amid student-people unprecedented uprising on August 5, Khaleda Zia was freed in an executive order.

Three-time former prime minister Khaleda Zia, 79, was sent to the old Dhaka jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018.

Later in the same year, she was found guilty in another corruption case.

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

Later, her sentence was suspended several times, for a duration of six months each time under the same conditions.

Khaleda Zia has been suffering from various ailments, including three blockages in her heart.​
 

Khaleda Zia to fly abroad soon for treatment
FE REPORT
Published :
Aug 17, 2024 08:47
Updated :
Aug 17, 2024 08:48


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Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Friday that party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia would fly abroad soon for receiving advanced medical treatment.

Mentioning her long struggle for democracy, he said, "No woman leader in the world has struggled for democracy like her (Begum). This housewife (Khaleda Zia) after the assassination of her husband Shaheed president Ziaur Rahman came out on the streets to save the party. She also struggled for restoring democracy by ousting autocrat Ershad. We must follow what she has contributed for the cause of the party. She remains constant to her courage".

Mirza Fakhrul came up with the observations at a doa and milad mahfil marking the 80th birth anniversary of party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia at the party's headquarters at Nayapaltan in the capital.

He cautioned the party leaders and activists that their struggle was yet to be over after the fall of autocrat Sheikh Hasina.

Mr Fakhrul called upon his party stalwarts to be united and maintain utmost discipline to uphold the images of the BNP.

He said that the real success would come when the government elected (in a free, fair and neutral manner) by the people was established.

"Our sons had shed their blood and won victory. Many stalwarts of Chhatra Dal had also sacrificed their lives (during recent anti-Sheikh Hasina movement). No way to create division. We must be united," he continued.

"Our struggle is yet to be over. We are still in a floating state. Conspiracies are still going on. She (deposed Sheikh Hasina) is still hatching conspiracy against the country sitting in India. We must be cautious and united so that neo-fascist could not appear again (sit on our shoulder)," he maintained.

"They (Awami League men and deposed Sheikh Hasina) want to create a trouble in the country citing the plea of communal disharmony," he said.

Highlighting the importance for maintaining communal harmony in the country, he called upon his party stalwarts to constitute peace brigades in their respective areas to protect the minorities' lives and properties.

"You (party stalwarts) must form 'peace brigades' in your respective areas to save the minorities' lives, their temples, churches and defend their businesses and properties," he stated.

He ur0ged the party leaders and activists to move the country forward with peace and sans vengeance as directed by party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

"We have to continue our struggle. Otherwise we might fall into trouble," he cautioned his party followers.

About the interim government, Mr Fakhrul further said "We have to give them (interim government) a logical time to remove all irregularities that have been piled up over the past several years (during the Sheikh Hasina led Awami League regime)."

The doa and milad mahfil were also held praying for the salvation of the departed souls of those who had sacrificed their lives during the recent student-people movement against the Sheikh Hasina regime and early recovery of those who got wounded.

BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, Vice-chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Joint Secretaries General Khairul Kabir Khokon and Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel and party's Publicity Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku were present, among others.​
 

Attack on Khaleda’s motorcade: Salahuddin, Zayed Khan, Shahriar Nazim Joy sued

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Kazi Salahuddin, Zayed Khan and Shahriar Nazim Joy

Bangladesh Football Federation President Kazi Salahuddin, actors Zayed Khan, Shahriar Nazim Joy and Shazu Khadem and 47 others were sued yesterday on charge of attacking the motorcade of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at Fakirapool intersection in April of 2015.

Shahriar Imam Asip, publicity and publication secretary of BNP's Motijheel Thana unit, filed the case against them with the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Md Zaki Al Farabi.

Upon the hearing, the magistrate recorded the statement of the complainant and asked the officer-in-charge of Motijheel Police Station to register the complaint as a first information report (FIR).

Former AL lawmakers Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Sheikh Helaluddin, Colonel (retd) Faruk Khan, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Workers Party chief Rashed Khan Menon, Jatiya Samajtanrik Dal chief Hasanul Haque Inu, former Dhaka South City Corporation mayors Syed Khokon and Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh have also been accused in the case.

In the complaint, the complainant alleged that as per the direction of high-profile leaders,the accusedequipped with hockey sticks, firearms and crude bombs, attacked on Khaleda Zia's motorcade at Fakirapool intersection around 6:30pm on April 20, 2015 when she was on her way to join a mayoral election campaign in support of BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas.

The accused also vandalised over 14 cars and four motorbikes and assaulted several leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisation, leaving a number of people, including the complainant, injured.​
 

UK envoy Sarah Cooke meets Khaleda

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Photo: Courtesy/BNP's official facebook page

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke met BNP chairperson Begum khaleda Zia and enquired about her health conditions tonight.

The meeting was held at BNP chairperson's Firoza residence in the city's Gulshan area at 8:30pm, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.

It was Khaleda Zia's first meeting with any foreign envoy since 2018 following her acquittal from her convictions in graft cases.

Sarah Cooke met Khaleda ahead of her visit to the UK for better treatment, party sources said.

BNP standing committee member Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, chief of her medical board Prof Shahabuddin Talukder, Dr FM Siddique, and member of the Special Assistant to BNP Chairperson's Foreign Affairs Advisory Committee Tabith Awal were present.

On July 8, Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister, was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital six days after she had been discharged from the same hospital with various ailments.

On August 24, she returned home after receiving treatment at the hospital for 45 days.

A group of specialist doctors, led by Prof Shahabuddin Talukder, successfully installed a pacemaker in Khaleda Zia's chest on June 23.

Khaleda has long been battling various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and issues related to the kidney, lung, heart, and eyes.

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

On October 26 last year, three US specialist doctors completed the hepatic procedure known as the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS procedure) to stop water accretion in Khaleda Zia's stomach and chest, and bleeding in her liver.

She was placed in Old Dhaka Central Jail on February 8, 2018, after a special court sentenced her to five years in prison in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. On October 30, 2018, the High Court raised her punishment to 10 years. Later, she was convicted in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail after 776 days through an executive order, suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020 with conditions that she would stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country.

On August 6 last, Khaleda Zia was completely freed by an order of President Mohammed Shahabuddin.

The president passed the order under Article 49 of the Bangladesh Constitution, according to a gazette issued by the home ministry on August 6.

Article 49 states that "The president shall have power to grant pardons, reprieves, and respites and to remit, suspend, or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal, or other authority."​
 

চিকিৎসার জন্য খালেদা জিয়াকে বিদেশে পাঠানোর সব প্রস্তুতি সম্পন্ন: ডা. জাহিদ
শারীরিক সুস্থতার ওপর বিদেশে নিয়ে যাওয়া নির্ভর করছে বলে জানান তিনি।

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রাতে বিএনপি চেয়ারপারসন গুলশানের বাসায় ফেরার পর প্রেস ব্রিফিং করেন ডা. এ জেড এম জাহিদ। ছবি: সংগৃহীত

উন্নত চিকিৎসার জন্য বিএনপি চেয়ারপারসন খালেদা জিয়াকে বিদেশে পাঠাতে মেডিকেল বোর্ড সব প্রস্তুতি সম্পন্ন করেছে বলে বিএনপির স্থায়ী কমিটির সদস্য এ জেড এম জাহিদ হোসেন জানিয়েছেন।

আজ বুধবার রাতে খালেদা জিয়াকে হাসপাতাল থেকে গুলশানের বাসায় আনার পর এক ব্রিফিংয়ে ডা. জাহিদ এ কথা জানান।

তিনি বলেন, 'আমাদের সব প্রস্তুতি সম্পন্ন। এমনকি কোন হাসপাতালে তাকে নেওয়া হবে তাও ঠিক করা হয়ে গেছে।'

'আমরা দুটি হাসপাতাল ঠিক করেছি একটি যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে এবং আরেকটি যুক্তরাজ্যে। দুই হাসপাতালের কনসালট্যান্টদের সঙ্গে আলাপ চূড়ান্ত হয়েছে,' বলেন তিনি।

ডা. জাহিদ আরও বলেন, 'চেয়ারপারসনকে কীভাবে বিদেশে নেওয়া হবে, তাও ঠিক করা হয়েছে। আইনগত যে জটিলতা আছে, সেটা নিয়ে বর্তমান সরকারের সঙ্গেও কথা বলেছি।'

'এখন শুধু উনার শারীরিক সুস্থতার ওপর নির্ভর করবে নিয়ে যাওয়া। যখন তিনি উড়োজাহাজে থাকেন, বিশেষ করে টেকঅফ ও ল্যান্ডিংয়ের সময় তার হার্টের সমস্যা, লিভারের সমস্যা এবং কিডনির জটিলতাগুলো আছে, সবকিছু মিলিয়ে চিকিৎসকরা এখনো মনে করছেন যে ১২-১৩ ঘণ্টা জার্নি তিনি করতে পারবেন কিনা,' বলেন এই চিকিৎসক।​
 

Khaleda Zia donates Tk 200,000 for flood victims
UNB
Published :
Oct 09, 2024 20:04
Updated :
Oct 09, 2024 20:04

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BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia donated Tk 200,000 to the party's central relief fund on Wednesday to assist flood victims in the country’s northern region.

On her behalf, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir handed over the money to Prof AZM Zahid Hossain, the convener of the BNP's Relief Collection Committee, at the party's Nayapaltan central office.

Fakhrul said he met Khaleda on Tuesday after she requested him to come to her Gulshan residence.

“When I met her, she gave me Tk 200,000 to contribute to the party’s relief fund, saying it was her personal money for the flood victims,” the BNP leader explained.

He said Khaleda has always stood by people and has led the nation during the times of crisis.

“Unfortunately, the fascist Awami League regime has kept her confined for six years on false charges. She became seriously ill during her time in jail and continues to suffer from health issues,” Fakhrul added.

The BNP secretary general urged the people of the country to pray for Khaleda's speedy recovery.

Earlier, on August 23, the BNP formed an eight-member committee, led by standing committee member Zahid Hossain, to collect relief materials for the flood-affected people in the southeastern districts.

At that time, the party raised some Tk 200 million in cash and relief materials for flood victims in eastern districts, including Feni, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Cumilla, Khagrachari, Habiganj and parts of Chattogram and Chandpur.

As some northern districts were also affected by the floods, the party has now resumed its fundraising efforts to support the victims and alleviate their suffering.​
 

Shamsuzzaman Dudu for withdrawal of cases against Khaleda, Tarique
FE Online Desk
Published :
Oct 15, 2024 22:23
Updated :
Oct 15, 2024 22:23

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Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu on Tuesday demanded immediate withdrawal of all 'repressive cases' against former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.

He made the call at a discussion organized by Bangladesh Mofasswal Journalists' Association at the Jatiya Press Club here demanding immediate steps to ensure return of Tarique Rahman to his motherland from exile, BSS reports.

Dudu said, "Withdraw all the cases filed against BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia as the cases were filed with vengeance attitudes by deposed dictator Sheikh Hasina . . . And also withdraw the false and repressive cases filed against BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to ensure his return to his homeland".

Shamsuzzaman Dudu alleged that BNP Chairperson and three-time former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia was brutally tortured.

He said Begum Zia was kept in jail for years by implicating her in several fabricated cases to take revenge.

"The reason behind this was nothing but to take revenge because country's popular leader Begum Khaleda Zia who has always been uncompromising in the movements to establish democracy . . . she also has struggled for the country and its people throughout her life," Dudu added.

This most popular leader of Bangladesh has dedicated her entire life to protect the independence and democracy, he mentioned.

About Tarique Rahman, the BNP leader said, "BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has been sentenced in connection with a false case. He was forced to spend his entire youth life abroad with a false case," Dudu added.

He added: "Not only that, the erstwhile fascist government did not allow his any speech to be published in the newspapers and media of the country. Although the dictator has gone, the cases of both of them are yet to withdraw."

Journalists' association president Sakhawat-Ibne-Moin Chowdhury presided over the discussion while BNP Joint Secretary General and former DUCSU GS Khairul Kabir Khokon, BNP executive committee member and former MP Nazim Uddin Alam, BNP leader Abu Naser Md Rahmatullah, Krishak Dal leader SK Sadi, President of Desh Bachao Manush Bachao Andolan KM Rakibul Islam Ripon, among others, spoke at the discussion.​
 

HC scraps 11 cases against Khaleda

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Photo: Collected

The High Court yesterday scrapped the trial proceedings of 11 cases filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The cases were filed in connection with arson, violence, and sedition with different police stations in Dhaka in 2015.

Yesterday, the HC bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the verdicts after hearing 11 petitions filed by Khaleda in 2017 seeking to quash proceedings of the cases.

Khaleda's lawyers Zainul Abedin, Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Kayser Kamal, and Nasir Uddin Ahmed Ashim told reporters that trial proceedings of 10 arson and violence cases were cancelled on the grounds that their clients were not present at the places of occurrences mentioned in the cases.

Also, the HC quashed the sedition case against the BNP chief as the case was filed by a lawyer without taking permission from the home ministry, said Mahbub Uddin Khokon.

BNP's Legal Affairs Secretary Kayser Kamal told The Daily Star that former prime minister and BNP chief Khaleda has been accused in 37 cases lodged during the rule of Awami League government on various charges, including corruption, violence, arson, defamation, and sedition.

Of the cases, the HC yesterday scrapped 11 cases, the lower courts concerned in different districts earlier dismissed nine defamation cases and the president granted her clemency in two graft cases in which she was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment, the lawyer said, adding that she is on bail in the other cases.

Among other pro-BNP lawyers Ragib Rauf Chowdhury, Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, Mohammad Siddique Ullah Miah, Anisur Rahman Raihan, Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan, HM Shanjid Siddique, and Maksud Ullah were representing Khaleda in the court during the hearing on the petitions, while Deputy Attorney General Jasim Sarkar represented the state.

Khaleda, who was under house arrest for the last five years, was released on August 6 this year after the president pardoned her, a day after Hasina resigned and fled the country amid a mass uprising.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin, exercising his power under article 49 of the constitution, granted Khaleda clemency in the two cases based on the law ministry's recommendation and ordered her release.

On February 8, 2018, Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Jail after a special court in Dhaka sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. The High Court later doubled her five-year jail term.

In the same year, the same special court in Dhaka sentenced Khaleda to seven years in jail in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

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

HC accepts Khaleda’s appeal in Zia Charitable Trust case for hearing
Staff Correspondent 03 November, 2024, 14:41

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Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The High Court on Sunday accepted for hearing Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s appeal against her conviction and sentence in the Zia Charitable Trust case.

Khaleda, also former prime minister, filed the appeal in 2018 following her sentence of seven-year jail, which was remitted by the president after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina government amid the student-people uprising on August 5.

The bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain permitted Khaleda’s layers to prepare a paper book in her expense for the hearing of the appeal.

Her lawyer Zainul Abedin, argued that the president remitted Khaleda’s sentence while the appeal remained pending with the court.

Khaleda did not request administrative relief and she sought a legal resolution instead as it was a politically motivated case, he contended.

In addition to the Zia Charitable Trust case, another appeal remains pending with the Appellate Division against Khaleda’s sentence in the Zia Orphanage Trust case.

In Zia Orphanage case, the High Court on October 30, 2018, following the Anti-Corruption Commission appeal, increased her sentence to imprisonment for 10 years from five years.

Bothe the cases were filed during the 2007-08 military-controlled interim regime. Khaleda also faces 35 more cases.

Of the cases, 19 have been dismissed by the courts, and her sentences in both the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust cases were remitted following Hasina’s ouster and escape to India the mass uprising on August 5.

In March 2020, amid the Covid pandemic, the Awami League government granted Khaleda temporary release from prison under an executive order on conditions.

The conditional release has been extended multiple times to keep her out of jail considering her health condition.​
 

SC decision on Khaleda’s appeal today
Staff Correspondent 10 November, 2024, 13:34

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Khaleda Zia. | File photo

The Anti-Corruption Commission on Sunday informed the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court that there was no misappropriation of funds of the Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Orphanage Trust and that the money remained unused in the trust’s account.

On February 8, 2018, a Dhaka Special Judge’s Court sentenced Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia to five years while five others, including her eldest son Tarique Rahman, were jailed for varying terms on the charge of embezzling Tk 2.10 crore from the orphanage trust.

The case alleged that the funds, intended for the trust, had been transferred to a private account.

Later, on October 30, 2018, the High Court Division doubled Khaleda’s sentence to 10 years following a petition by the ACC.

The High Court also dismissed the ex-prime minister’s appeal for acquittal.

ACC counsel Asif Hasan announced the commission’s revised stance, now in favor of Khaleda’s acquittal, before a three-member Appellate Division bench chaired by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to give its decision on her appeal on Monday by determining whether her sentence will be overturned.

The case, filed on July 3, 2008, under a military-backed caretaker government, initially claimed that Khaleda abused her position as a prime minister from 1991 to 1996 by misappropriating Tk 2.10 crore of the Tk 4.44 crore donated by the Saudi King to the Prime Minister’s Office for building the orphanage.

During hearings, Khaleda’s lawyers, Zainul Abedin and Kayser Kamal, argued that the conviction was ‘one-sided’ and politically motivated.

Attorney general Md Asaduzzaman suggested that the case was a form of political harassment, targeting Khaleda and her family members under both the army-backed interim government and the subsequent Awami League regime.

On November 3, 2024, the High Court also agreed to hear Khaleda’s separate appeal in the Zia Charitable Trust case, in which she was sentenced to jail for seven years in 2018.

Her sentences involving the cases relating to Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust were remitted by the president on August 6, a day after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime amid a student-mass uprising on August 5.

The BNP chairperson is now facing 16 other cases.

After the fall of the Hasina regime, different courts dismissed 19 cases against Khaleda.

The BNP chief’s lawyers argued that the president remitted Khaleda’s sentences while the appeal remained pending with the court.

Khaleda did not request administrative relief and she sought a legal resolution instead as it was a politically motivated case, they contended.

In March 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the then Awami League regime, under an executive order, granted Khaleda’s conditional and temporary release due to her poor health condition.

The time of her release was extended several times until her sentences were remitted by the president.​
 

SC stays HC verdict on Khaleda’s sentence in Zia Orphanage Trust Case
Staff Correspondent 11 November, 2024, 11:10

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Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia. | Collected photo

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday stayed a 2018 High Court ruling that had extended Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s prison sentence from five years to 10 years in the Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Orphanage Trust case.

A three-member Appellate Division bench led by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam granted the stay, temporarily halting the High Court’s order that had increased the trial court’s sentence and rejected Khaleda’s appeal seeking acquittal from embezzlement charges.

The Apex Court, simplifying the legal process for the former prime minister, also allowed her to file an appeal against the High Court decision without the need to prepare a paper-book.

Khaleda’s legal team was instructed to submit a concise argument on the appeal within two weeks.

On the expiry of two weeks, the team will have to seek a date from the chamber judge for holding a hearing on the appeal.

The High Court, responding to a petition submitted by the Anti-Corruption Commission, doubled Khaleda’s prison sentence on October 30, 2018,

On February 8, 2018, a Dhaka Special Judge’s Court sentenced Khaleda to five years and her son, Tarique Rahman, along with others, to varying prison terms over the alleged misappropriation of Tk 2.10 crore from the orphanage trust.

On Sunday, the ACC’s counsel, Asif Hasan, informed the Appellate Division that no evidence of fund misappropriation was found, and the Tk 2.10 crore, along with interest, remained intact in the trust’s account.

This revision of the ACC’s stance now supports Khaleda who is seeking acquittal.

The case, filed in 2008 during a military-backed caretaker government, accused Khaleda of misusing her position as prime minister from 1991 to 1996 to divert Tk 2.10 crore out of Tk 4.44 crore donated by the Saudi king.

The allegation claimed that the funds were transferred to a private account instead of being used for the orphanage.

The president on August 6, a day after the fall of the Awami League regime amid a student-mass uprising, remitted Khaleda’s sentences in both the Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust cases.

Khaleda currently faces 16 other cases, while 19 cases against her were dismissed after the fall of the AL regime on August 5.

Her legal team argued that the president had previously remitted her sentences in both the Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust cases, where she had received a seven-year sentence.

Her appeal in the Zia Charitable Trust case was accepted for hearing by the High Court on November 3.

During proceedings on Monday, Khaleda’s lawyers, Zainul Abedin and Kayser Kamal, argued that Khaleda sought a legal, not administrative, resolution.

They said that the case was politically motivated.

Attorney general Md Asaduzzaman suggested that the case was politically charged, targeting Khaleda and her family under the caretaker and subsequent Awami League governments, despite her lack of knowledge and involvement with the fund.

In March 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Awami League government conditionally and temporarily released Khaleda on humanitarian grounds due to her poor health. Her release period was extended multiple times until remitting her sentences by the president.​
 

BNP’s Alal demands return of Khaleda’s cantonment house
UNB
Published :
Nov 22, 2024 20:30
Updated :
Nov 22, 2024 20:30

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BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal on Friday demanded that the government return the party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s house on Shaheed Mainul Road in Dhaka Cantonment, which was taken back by the Awami League regime.

Speaking to reporters at the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, he also said BNP has confidence in the newly formed Election Commission, reports UNB.

“Khaleda Zia was forcibly ousted from her residence at Main Road in just a single dress, even before the case concerning the matter was resolved. The government should take steps to help her heal from the trauma associated with that house,” the BNP leader said.

Stating that the BNP chief was unfairly evicted from her cantonment house, he urged the government to take steps to ensure justice for her.

As the wife of a former Army Chief, Alal said it was natural for Khaleda to attend the Armed Forces Day reception in the cantonment, but she was unable to do so for nearly a decade.

“The expression of Khaleda Zia that we witnessed at Senakunja was like a bird that had been chained for years and was finally set free,” he observed.

Khaleda Zia attended the Armed Forces Day reception at Senakunja on Friday, after 11 years.

Alal, along with leaders and workers of Jatiyatabadi Prochar Dal, paid homage to late President Ziaur Rahman by placing a wreath at his grave in the capital, marking the 13th founding anniversary of the organisation.

On April 8, 2009, the Awami League government cancelled the allotment of Khaleda Zia’s Shaheed Mainul Road house in Dhaka Cantonment, citing several irregularities in the allotment within the military zone.

Subsequently, on November 13, 2010, she was evicted from the house where she had lived for 38 years, since her husband Ziaur Rahman served as deputy chief of the army. After Zia’s assassination in 1981, then Army Chief HM Ershad allocated the 2.72-acre property to her at a token price.

Asked for his comment on the formation of the new Election Commission (EC), Alal said BNP want to place its trust in the newly formed Commission. “We hope the Commission will demonstrate its competence through its actions, rather than engaging in excessive rhetoric.”

He also stated that the formation of the new EC marks the beginning of the electoral process. “We expect the reform work initiated by the government will be completed swiftly to facilitate the holding of the national election.”​
 

Khaleda Zia acquitted in two cases
Staff Correspondent 27 November, 2024, 16:40

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Khaleda Zia | BSS photo

Former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was acquitted in two cases related to the Barapukuria coalmine and the Zia Charitable Trust on Wednesday.

The High Court acquittal overturned a lower court verdict that sentenced her to seven years in prison in 2018.

The rulings marked a crucial legal victory for the veteran politician, who has faced numerous cases over the years.

The bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain also released her late political secretary Harris Chowdhury, and Monirul Islam, former private secretary to Dhaka’s ex-mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

The Anti-Corruption Commission had filed the Zia Charitable Trust case in 2011, alleging embezzlement of trust funds.

However, the High Court on Wednesday ruled in favour of Khaleda’s appeal, which argued that the charges were politically motivated.

Khaleda’s sentence in the case had been remitted by a presidential order following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government and her subsequent fleeing to India facing a student-led uprising on August 5.

In a separate decision, Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 acquitted Khaleda and two former cabinet members, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, in the Barapukuria coalmine graft case.

Filed by the ACC in 2008, the case accused 16 individuals of misusing power to award a contract to a Chinese company, allegedly causing a loss of Tk 159 crore to the state.

Despite clearing Khaleda and her colleagues, the court framed charges against four other accused, paving the way for the trial to proceed.

Khaleda’s legal team hailed the decisions as a significant step toward justice.

Her senior counsel Zainul Abedin argued before the High Court that Khaleda had sought a legal resolution, refusing to rely on administrative relief.

He emphasised that the cases against her were part of a broader pattern of politically motivated charges.

Khaleda, who has faced a total of 37 cases, has now been cleared in at least 20 of them, according to her lawyer Zoynal Abedin Meshbah.

Five of the cases, including the Barapukuria and Zia Charitable Trust cases, were filed during the military-backed caretaker government with proceedings continuing under the Awami League government.

Despite Wednesday’s rulings, Khaleda’s legal battles are far from over.

Her appeal against a ten-year sentence in the Zia Orphanage Trust case remains pending with the Appellate Division.

The ACC had initially sought an increase in her sentence, which the High Court granted in 2018, raising it from five to ten years.

Another high-profile case involving Niko Resources, filed during the caretaker government, also remains pending at Dhaka Special Judge’s Court.

In March 2020, amid the Covid pandemic, the Awami League government granted Khaleda temporary release from prison under an executive order on conditions.

The conditional release has been extended multiple times to keep her out of jail considering her health condition.​
 

Chinese envoy meets BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia
UNB
Published :
Dec 04, 2024 21:43
Updated :
Dec 04, 2024 21:43

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Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen met BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Wednesday evening.

The one-hour and 20-minute meeting, which began around 7:30 pm, was held at Khaleda Zia’s residence in the city’s Gulshan area, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.

The Chinese ambassador exchanged greetings with Khaleda Zia and inquired about her health.

During the meeting, Yao Wen presented a traditional Chinese wall banner to the BNP chairperson.

BNP Standing Committee member Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain and Vice Chairman Altaf Hossain Chowdhury were also present.​
 

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

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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.”​
 

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

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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.​
 

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

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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.​
 

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.​
 

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

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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.​
 

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

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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."​
 

Khaleda departs for London

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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.


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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.

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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.​
 

Khaleda Zia admitted to London Clinic

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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.​
 

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

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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.​
 

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

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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.

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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.​
 

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

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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.​
 

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

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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.​
 

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

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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​
 

Khaleda Zia wishes to return home soon: Dr Zahid
BSS
Published :
Jan 29, 2025 23:32
Updated :
Jan 29, 2025 23:32

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BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who is currently in London at her eldest son Tarique Rahman's residence after receiving treatment for 17 days at London Clinic, is eagerly waiting to return home, said her personal physician, Dr AZM Zahid Hossain.

"Madam's physical condition is very stable now. She is eager to return to the country. Yesterday, she also said, 'Let us return to Bangladesh quickly. The country is a good place for us," Dr Zahid told a du'a mahfil organised by the UK chapter of Jubo Dal, marking the death anniversary of Begum Zia's youngest son, Arafat Rahman.

The prayers were held at Brick Lane Mosque in East London after Isha prayers on Tuesday (London time).

Dr Zahid, also BNP standing committee member, said Khaleda Zia is now doing better as she is living with her eldest son Tarique Rahman, eldest daughter-in-law Dr Zubida Rahman, youngest daughter-in-law Syeda Shamila Rahman, and three granddaughters.

Terming the AL regime a fascist rule, he said Begum Zia was imprisoned for a long time in a fabricated case during the regime.

He said the decision on Begum Zia's return to Bangladesh will be taken after receiving some medical test reports.

Dr. Zahid expressed gratitude to everyone for their prayers for Begum Zia.

"Begum Zia is mentally with you [countrymen] in the struggle for the restoration of democracy. She was uncompromising in restoring democracy before, and she still believes that democracy will return to the country soon," he said.

Khaleda Zia believes the people, who are the owners of the country, will get a democratic atmosphere along with obtaining the opportunity to exercise their voting rights soon, he said.

Dr Zahid said the BNP chief called upon the party men to work towards that goal.

He said Tarique Rahman has worked for the restoration of democracy for the past 15 years. "He is currently leading the movement to restore democracy. We are very optimistic; even if the mother and son do not go together, the situation will tell when he (Tarique Rahman) will return to the country. We are very optimistic that our leader, Tarique Rahman, will return soon," he said.

UK BNP President and Chairperson's Adviser MA Malek, General Secretary Koysor M Ahmed, and Swechchhasebak Dal General Secretary Abul Hossain were present at the event hosted by UK Jubo Dal President Rahim Uddin.​
 

Khaleda Zia likely to return home after Eid-ul-Fitr: UK BNP leader
BSS
Published: 13 Feb 2025, 22: 54

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BNP chairperson Khaleda ZiaFile photo

BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who is now in London, may return home after the holy Eid-ul-Fitr.

"We have requested her to spend at least this Eid with us. We hope that if she keeps her word, she will go to Bangladesh after Eid. She is much better now than before," UK BNP president and BNP chairperson's advisory council member MA Malek told Bangladeshi journalists living in London on Wednesday.

He said Begum Zia's health condition is relatively good now as she is spending a great time at the house of his eldest son Tarique Rahman as her daughter-in-law Dr Zubaida Rahman and granddaughters are taking care of her round-the-clock.

The 79-year-old former prime minister Khaleda Zia has been suffering from various physical ailments including liver cirrhosis, kidney, heart, diabetes, and arthritis for long.

On 8 January, she was taken to London by an air ambulance for advanced treatment.

Earlier, professor AZM Zahid Hossain, Begum Zia's personal physician, told reporters in Dhaka that she has been undergoing treatment under the supervision of 'The London Clinic' physicians in London since 8 January.

Begum Khaleda Zia is under the supervision of the doctors including professor Patrick Kennedy, professor Jennifer Cross and Dr Barred.

Professor Zahid has sought prayers from all Bangladeshis for recovery of BNP Chairperson from the diseases.

Upon the clearance from physicians of the London Clinic, Khaleda Zia went to her son's house.​
 

SC to hear plea on Khaleda’s acquittal in Zia Charitable Trust graft case tomorrow

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Photo: Collected

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is scheduled to hold a hearing tomorrow on a state plea regarding the High Court's judgment in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

Earlier, the court acquitted BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and two others, who had been convicted and sentenced by the lower court in the case.

The matter is listed as item number five on the apex court's cause list for February 16.

Confirming the development to BSS, Additional Attorney General Aneek Rushd Haque said that the state had filed an appeal against the High Court's judgment that acquitted Khaleda Zia and others.

"That plea has now come before the Appellate Division's regular bench for a hearing, and it has been placed on the cause list for tomorrow," he added.

On November 27, 2024, the High Court allowed two separate appeals filed by the BNP chairperson and two other convicts, challenging their conviction and sentencing by the lower court in the graft case, ultimately acquitting them of the charges.

"Appeal allowed," read the identical orders passed by the High Court bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain on that day.

"The court allowed two separate appeals -- one filed by Khaleda Zia and another jointly filed by Ziaul Islam and Monirul Islam Khan. The court acquitted them in the case," said ACC counsel Asif Hasan while speaking to journalists after the High Court's verdict.

"During the hearing, not a single witness testified that Begum Khaleda Zia embezzled money by misusing her power in the trust. We highlighted significant inconsistencies in the First Information Report (FIR) and the charge sheet during our arguments. Accepting our pleas, the court ruled in our favour and granted the appeals."

Additionally, Khaleda Zia's counsel, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, asserted that the case was entirely politically motivated and that his client had been denied justice in the lower court.​
 

Khaleda, 7 others acquitted in Niko graft case

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A Dhaka court today acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others in connection with the Niko graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2007.

Judge Md Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge's Court-4 of Dhaka pronounced the verdict.

Khaleda, currently in London for medical treatment, was represented by her lawyer Mohammad Ziauddin Zia.

In the judgment, the judge said the prosecution has failed to prove the charges brought against Khaleda Zia and others. So, they were acquitted of the charges, it said.

With this, Khaleda Zia was acquitted and discharged from all the cases, including Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases, filed against her during caretaker government in 2007 and Awami League government regime.

The seven others are BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman's close friend Giausuddin Al Mamun, former acting secretary for energy ministry Khondaker Shahidul Islam, former Dhaka Club president Selim Bhuiyan, former senior assistant secretary CM Yusuf Hussain, former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, former general manager of Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX), Mir Moynul Haque, and former president of Niko Resources (Bangladesh) Limited Kashem Sharif.

Of them, Kamal, Moynul and Kashem are absconding while four others were present during the judgment.

Following the acquittal order, Khaleda's lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder told the journalists that they finally got justice from the court. The case was filed against the BNP chairperson just to harass her politically.

On March 28 of 2022, Kashem Sharif was sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment for taking bribe from Niko, a Canadian Oil and Gas Exploration Company.

Earlier, the court recorded statements of 39 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case.

On March 19 of 2023, the court framed charges against the 10 accused, including Khaleda Zia in the case.

On December 9 of 2007, the ACC filed the case, accusing Khaleda Zia and several others of abusing power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko when she was prime minister between 2001 and 2006.

On May 5 of 2008, the ACC pressed charges against Khaleda Zia and 10 others.

The names of former state minister for energy and BNP leader AKM Mosharraf Hossain and former law minister Moudud Ahmed and former BAPEX secretary Shafiur Rahman were dropped from the charges of case as they died earlier.​
 

Khaleda asks all to keep off vendetta
Staff Correspondent 27 February, 2025, 14:32

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Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia. | UNB photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia urged the people to keep off political vendetta and rebuild the country in spirit of love and fraternity.

She made the call while she was virtually addressing an extended committee meeting of the party held at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

‘Today people from all walks of life in the country, especially the youths, are looking forward to a positive democratic change,’ the BNP chairperson said.

She further that the fascist regime was overthrown as a result of the coordinated movement of the BNP leaders and activists and the students, paving the way for the formation of an interim government.

‘The people expect them to swiftly complete essential reforms to reorganise the state and institute an election acceptable to all, ensuring the country’s return to democracy,’ Khaleda Zia said.

Saying that the nation was passing a critical juncture, the BNP chairperson urged party members, ‘Do not do anything that will make our struggle and sacrifice go in vain.’

She alleged that the fascist regime’s allies and the enemies of Bangladesh were still engaged in a deep conspiracy to sabotage the achievements of the mass uprising.

The conspiracy must be foiled by forging steel-solid unity among people, Khaleda said.

She also urged all to devote all their strength to build a modern, prosperous and democratic Bangladesh, as envisioned by the BNP founder, Ziaur Rahman, and to consolidate this hard-earned achievement through further strengthening the national unity.

‘Through you I appeal to people—let us all work together to transform our beloved Bangladesh into a truly liveable, developed and democratic state, not through revenge, but through mutual love and brotherhood,’ stated the BNP chairperson.

Khaleda Zia left Bangladesh for medical treatment on January 7 and is currently staying in London, where she is undergoing treatment and recuperation.

‘Even though I am in the UK for medical treatment, I am always with you,’ she said.

Khaleda Zia told party leaders and activists that their continuous struggle for democracy over the past 15 years, along with the sacrifices made for countless colleagues, victims of oppression and torture, and the thousands of false cases they had faced, would be remembered forever.

She emphasised that their efforts would be honoured not only by the party but also by the nation.​
 

Khaleda’s call for unity is a step in the right direction

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File photo: Naimur Rahman

Bangladesh's political landscape has long been defined by division and vengeance. The cycle of retaliation, where one party in power seeks to silence and punish the opposition, has turned politics into a battleground of personal vendettas rather than a platform for national progress. This toxic environment has not only deepened mistrust, but has also hindered the country's democratic development. At a time when political discourse is increasingly being shaped by hostility, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's recent speech from London offers a rare and necessary call for unity. Her appeal to move beyond vengeance is not just a political statement—it is a vision for a more stable and democratic Bangladesh.

Khaleda's six-minute virtual speech from London was notable not just for what she said, but for what she did not say. Despite being under medical treatment and having endured 17 years of political persecution—including imprisonment—she did not utter a single word against Sheikh Hasina. She did not even directly mention the Awami League.

The former ruling party and its leaders left no stone unturned in its efforts to weaken her and her party, yet instead of responding with anger or a call for revenge, she appealed to the people with a message of unity. This makes her stand apart from her political adversary, whose rhetoric has often been laced with accusations and hostility towards opponents.

Since Hasina's government took office in 2009, Khaleda's political life has been marked by a series of humiliations and hardships. She was forcibly evicted from her longtime residence in Dhaka cantonment, an episode that saw her break down in tears at a press conference, only to have her emotional plea dismissed by the Awami League leaders as insincere. The hostility intensified further in 2013, when Khaleda was physically blocked from participating in the BNP's "March for Democracy" protest. In an infamous display of political suppression, the government positioned sand-laden trucks outside her residence, ensuring that she would not be able to leave. It was a moment that came to symbolise the state of the country's democracy, one where dissent was not just discouraged, but actively silenced.

Khaleda's ordeal did not stop at political obstruction. She was later imprisoned on corruption charges under circumstances that many believe were politically motivated, while Hasina, despite facing similar allegations, had all cases against her dismissed upon assuming power. Even from behind bars, Khaleda became a target of ridicule, with Hasina mockingly referring to her as a "thief" and repeatedly belittling her political movement. At one point, Hasina even suggested that Khaleda should be "thrown off" the newly constructed Padma Bridge, an astonishing remark for a sitting prime minister to make.

Yet, despite all of this, Khaleda Zia chose not to focus on past grievances. She warned that fascist forces and enemies of the country are working to undermine the mass uprising and called upon the BNP activists to unite and reorganise with greater determination. Her message was clear: politics should be done for progress, not retribution.

In Bangladesh, power and politics have frequently been used to punish political rivals, who have been treated as enemies rather than opponents. This has resulted in a deeply polarised society where policy debates are sidelined in favour of personal attacks. Khaleda Zia's refusal to engage in this cycle of hostility sets a different precedent—one that prioritises reconciliation over retaliation.

History offers valuable lessons on the importance of unity over vendetta. Nations that have broken free from cycles of political revenge have been able to move forward and rebuild. South Africa's transition from apartheid, Chile's return to democracy after dictatorship, and Germany's post-war reconciliation all demonstrate that progress is possible when leaders choose dialogue over division. Bangladesh, with its own history of resilience, has the same opportunity: to reject the politics of punishment and embrace a future built on democratic principles.

However, unity does not mean forgetting past injustices or allowing wrongdoing to go unpunished. A nation cannot build its future solely by seeking revenge for its past. Accountability must be pursued, but it should not be weaponised for political gain. True democracy thrives when differences are debated, not suppressed, and when justice is served in a manner that strengthens, rather than divides, the nation.

For too long, Bangladeshi politics has been defined by who holds power rather than how that power is used to serve the people. Khaleda Zia's call to go beyond vengeance presents an opportunity to reset this dynamic. The real question is whether the country's political leadership—on all sides—is willing to rise to the occasion. This call for unity should not be dismissed as mere rhetoric. It is an essential step towards restoring democracy, fostering stability, and ensuring that governance serves the people. If Bangladesh is to move forward, unity must not just be an idea—it must be a practice.

Mohammad Al-Masum Molla is a journalist at The Daily Star.​
 

Khaleda cleared of all 37 cases
Staff Correspondent 03 March, 2025, 11:39

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Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia. | File Photo

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the High Court verdict acquitting former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia and three others in the Zia Charitable Trust case, dismissing appeals filed by the state and the Anti-Corruption Commission.

A three-member bench, led by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, rejected the petitions seeking permission to challenge the High Court’s November 27, 2024 ruling, which overturned Khaleda’s seven-year prison sentence handed down by a special judge’s court in 2018.

With the decision, Khaleda now stands acquitted in both the Zia Orphanage Trust and the Zia Charitable Trust cases, in which she was jailed on February 8, 2018, during the Awami League regime.

Lawyer Zoynal Abedin Meshbah told New Age that Khaleda Zia is now cleared of all 37 cases filed against her during the army-backed caretaker government and the 15-year rule of the Awami League.

He attributed these legal victories to judicial scrutiny following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime on August 5, 2024, amid a student-led mass uprising.

On October 28, 2018, the Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-5 sentenced Khaleda and her co-accused—her late political adviser Abdul Harris Chowdhury, his assistant private secretary Ziaul Islam Munna, and former Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka’s assistant private secretary Monirul Islam Khan—for alleged embezzlement of Tk 3.15 crore from the Zia Charitable Trust.

The ACC had filed the case on August 8, 2011, accusing Khaleda of misusing her power to collect funds for the trust between 2001 and 2006, and later attempting to misappropriate the amount in collusion with others.

Following the fall of the AL regime, Khaleda’s sentence was remitted through a presidential order.

On January 7, Khaleda traveled to London for her advanced treatment.

The High Court’s November 27, 2024 ruling subsequently acquitted Khaleda and her co-accused, deeming the case politically motivated—an argument strongly pushed by her legal team.

Khaleda, had spent over two years in jail before being temporarily released on March 25, 2020, through an executive order during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The conditions of her release restricted her movement to her Gulshan residence and barred her from traveling abroad.​
 

A special Eid for Khaleda
BNP chief to celebrate festivities with family after nearly 8 years

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BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is set to celebrate Eid with her family in London for the first time in nearly eight years.

Khaleda, who travelled to London on January 7 for medical treatment, will spend Eid with her eldest son Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, their daughter Zaima Rahman, as well as her late son Arafat Rahman Koko's wife Shamila Rahman and granddaughters Zafia and Zahia Rahman.

Speaking to UNB from London, her personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain said Khaleda is mentally strong and in stable health as she prepares for the occasion. She has been receiving treatment at home under the supervision of Professors Patrick Kennedy and Jennifer Cross from The London Clinic since her discharge on January 25.

Zahid said a medical team is continuously monitoring her condition.

Khaleda, 79, has long suffered from liver cirrhosis, kidney and heart issues, diabetes, and arthritis.

This will be her first Eid with her entire family since her imprisonment in 2018. She last celebrated Eid in London in 2017, during a three-month stay at Tarique Rahman's residence.

Asked about the possibility of Khaleda returning to Bangladesh, Dr Zahid said she could return any time after Eid, depending on the advice of her medical team.

"The final decision rests on the approval of her medical team. I hope she'll return home very soon with the medical board's decision, as her condition is now stable," he said.

Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in the UK either on Sunday or Monday, depending on the sighting of the moon.​
 

Khaleda Zia urges party men to remain united for democracy
BSS
Dhaka
Published: 01 Apr 2025, 17: 21

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BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia addresses a function virtually from London with senior party leaders at party Chairperson’s Gulshan political office on 31 March 2025 BSS

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has urged her party men to remain united to establish democracy.

“We must cooperate with each other. We must establish the people’s right to vote through our united efforts,” she said.

Khaleda Zia said this while addressing a function virtually from London with senior party leaders at the party Chairperson’s Gulshan political office on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday evening.

Party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman also virtually joined the event while BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir gave a welcome speech.

“Your sacrifices and struggles have not gone in vain,” BNP chairperson said adding “this will surely be culminated in success.”

She wished the people a happy and prosperous Eid and sought doa of the countrymen.

Standing Committee Members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Selima Rahman, Vice-Chairmen Barkatullah Bulu and Air Vice Marshal (retd.) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury were present, among others, while publicity secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku moderated the event.​
 

Khaleda expected to return by May 5
Staff Correspondent 29 April, 2025, 00:05

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Khaleda Zia

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chair and former prime minister Khaleda Zia is expected to return home from London by May 5.

She was taken to London for advanced treatment on January 8.

‘The exact date has not been set yet, but the party chair will return home on May 3 or May 4 or May 5,’ BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told New Age on Monday.

A BNP source said Khaleda’s health condition is now better than before.

Khaleda is expected to return on the same air ambulance provided by the Emir of Qatar, in which she was transported to London, Fakhrul said.

He said the BNP sent a letter to the foreign ministry in the past week, seeking cooperation to ensure the air ambulance’s return.

‘The Emir of Qatar will provide the air ambulance for the BNP chair, but the matter requires government-to-government mediation, so a letter has been sent to the foreign ministry seeking assistance,’ Fakhrul said.

He explained that the foreign ministry would handle the secretarial duties in this regard.

After Khaleda was taken to London, she was admitted to a medical facility named The Clinic.

After undergoing 17 days of treatment, she was transferred to her son Tarique Rahman’s residence on January 25, where she continues to go through complete health check-ups on a regular basis.

At 79, Khaleda Zia has been suffering from several health issues, including liver cirrhosis, heart disease, and kidney problems.

The BNP had long demanded that Khaleda be allowed to have medical treatment abroad, but the Awami League government had consistently turned down the requests, citing legal hurdles related to her convictions in two cases.

However, following the popular overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s government 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 to return home from London on Monday

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BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia is set to return home on Monday after four months of medical treatment in London. She will be accompanied by her daughters-in-law, Zubaida Rahman, and Syeda Sharmila Rahman.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir confirmed the development yesterday, saying, "Madam will return on the morning of the 5th. As far as we know, her two daughters-in-law, Tarique Rahman's wife Zubaida Rahman and Arafat Rahman's wife Syeda Shamila Rahman, are also expected to accompany her."

Zubaida has been in London since 2008, when she travelled there with her husband, Tarique, and their daughter, Zaima Rahman. She has not visited Bangladesh since. She will stay here for a few months before returning to London.

The BNP has written to the inspector general of police, requesting security measures, including a police escort, for Zubaida.

According to the letter, "There is a security threat to her life as a member of the Zia family and the wife of Tarique Rahman."

On January 8, Khaleda was flown to London on a special air ambulance sent by the Emir of Qatar for advanced treatment.

The 79-year-old former prime minister was admitted to the London Clinic, where she underwent 17 days of treatment.

Since January 25, she has been under continued care at Tarique's residence.

BNP sources said eight individuals will accompany her on her return journey from London. Apart from her daughters-in-law, her entourage includes personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain and advisers Aminul Haque Chowdhury and Masudur Rahman.

When asked about Khaleda's current condition, Fakhrul said, "Alhamdulillah, she is definitely better than before."

"The air ambulance provided by the Emir of Qatar is facing some technical delays. Therefore, Madam has decided that if the air ambulance is not available at the last moment, she will return on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight instead," he added.

"All arrangements have been made for her return. If she departs on Sunday [tomorrow], InshaAllah, she will arrive in the country around 11:00am on Monday morning," Fakhrul said.

Khaleda was imprisoned in 2018 under the then Sheikh Hasina-led government following a conviction in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

In March 2020, amid the pandemic, the government temporarily released her on an executive order, suspending her sentence on the condition that she remain at her Gulshan residence and not leave the country.

On August 6, 2023, Khaleda was fully freed by an order from President Mohammed Shahabuddin following the fall of the Awami League government.​
 

Khaleda Zia to return home by air ambulance: Mirza Fakhrul
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
May 03, 2025 20:21
Updated :
May 03, 2025 20:24

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BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia will return home from London on Monday on a special air ambulance provided by the Emir of Qatar.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir gave the information at a press conference in Gulshan on Saturday night.

He informed that the time of arrival will be disclosed later.

Earlier, it was informed that the former prime minister will return home through a flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.​
 

BNP takes all-out preparations to welcome Begum Khaleda Zia
BSS Dhaka
Published: 04 May 2025, 20: 02

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BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia BSS

BNP has taken all-out preparations to welcome their party chief Begum Khaleda Zia who is likely to arrive in Dhaka from London on Tuesday morning, four months after receiving medical treatment there.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed disclosed this information at an urgent press conference at BNP headquarters in Naya Paltan Sunday afternoon.

He said when Begum Zia, also a former prime minister, will reach Dhaka, party leaders and activists will welcome her on the way from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Gulshan standing on either side of the streets. Rizvi gave some guidelines about what to do and what not to do while welcoming her.

As per the plan, Dhaka city north BNP leaders and workers will welcome her on the street from the airport to the Le Meridien Hotel, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal from Le Meridien Hotel to Khilkhet, Jubo Dal from Khilkhet to Hotel Radisson.

Then Dhaka city south BNP will be there on the street from Hotel Radisson to Army Stadium, Swechchhasebak Dal from Army Stadium to Banani graveyard, Krishak Dal from Banani graveyard to Kakoli crossing, Sramik Dal from Kakoli More to Sheraton Hotel in Banani, Ulama Dal, Tanti Dal, pro-BNP cultural wing JASAS and Matsyajibi Dal from Sheraton Hotel to Banani Kacha Bazar.

All professional organisations including the Muktijoddha Dal will stay on street from Banani Kacha Bazar to Gulshan-2. Mohila Dal from Gulshan-2 roundabout to Gulshan Avenue Road, BNP national executive committee members from Gulshan-2 roundabout to Gulshan Avenue Road and the leaders and activists coming from different districts will stand at their convenience.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said all the leaders and activists will stand on one side of the road holding national and party flags. No motorcycle or people on foot will be allowed to move along with the BNP chairperson's vehicle. Plus, no one will be allowed to enter the airport and the residence of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.​
 

Last-minute preparations at Feroza to welcome Khaleda back
bdnews24.com
Published :
May 05, 2025 21:29
Updated :
May 05, 2025 21:31

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Preparations are complete at Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan residence, Feroza, as the BNP chairperson returns home after four months in London for medical treatment.

The front lawn has been adorned with vibrant potted flowers, and the interior of the house has been meticulously cleaned and arranged to ensure a warm welcome for the party leader.

Security has been tightened around the walled compound, with police and members of the Chairperson’s Security Force (CSF) stationed at the premises.

Dedicated rooms have been prepared for security personnel in front of the residence.

Khaleda is set to arrive in Dhaka on Tuesday and will stay at Feroza upon her return.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Khaleda will depart London’s Heathrow Airport at 4:10pm local time on Monday aboard a special air ambulance arranged by the Emir of Qatar.

She will be accompanied by her daughters-in-law—Zubaida Rahman, wife of Tarique Rahman, and Syeda Sharmila Rahman Sithi, wife of the late Arafat Rahman Coco.

The air ambulance is scheduled to stop in Doha at 2:30am local time before reaching Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport at 10:30am Bangladesh time.

Khaleda’s physician, Prof AZM Zahid Hossain, confirmed the travel details and said the BNP chief is feeling much better.

The 79-year old three-time former prime minister has long battled liver cirrhosis, kidney disease, heart problems, diabetes, and arthritis.

She was treated by Patrick Kennedy and Jennifer Cross at The London Clinic for 17 days before moving to her son Tarique’s home.

Fakhrul urged BNP leaders and supporters not to crowd the streets to welcome Khaleda, citing ongoing SSC examinations.

Supporters have been instructed to stay on the pavements, carrying national and BNP flags, and avoid blocking roads.​
 

Crowd gathers at Heathrow as Khaleda flying home
BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman personally drives his mother to the airport

bdnews24.com
Published :
May 05, 2025 20:24
Updated :
May 05, 2025 20:24

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BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is returning home after four months of medical treatment in London, as party activists gathered in large numbers at Heathrow Airport to see her off.

At 2:10 pm local time on Monday, the former prime minister departed from her elder son Tarique Rahman’s residence for the airport.

Tarique, the BNP’s acting chairman, personally drove his mother to the airport, confirmed Khaleda’s personal physician Prof AZM Zahid Hossain.

He added that Khaleda was seated in the front passenger seat beside her son.

Also accompanying them in the car were her daughters-in-law Zubaida Rahman, Syeda Shamila Rahman, and Tarique’s daughter Zaima Rahman.

“After completing airport formalities, we will depart on an air ambulance provided by the Emir of Qatar. We’re scheduled to leave at 4pm,” he said.

They are expected to stop over in Doha and arrive in Dhaka at 10am on Tuesday.​
 

Khaleda Zia leaves London for Dhaka in air ambulance
UNB
Published :
May 05, 2025 21:48
Updated :
May 05, 2025 21:48

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BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia left Heathrow Airport tonight (Monday night) for Dhaka aboard a special air ambulance provided by the Emir of Qatar, as she is returning home nearly four months after receiving advanced treatment in London.

“The special air ambulance provided by Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, carrying BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her entourage, took off around 9:35 pm (BST),” said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.

He said the flight is scheduled to reach Hamad International Airport in Doha at 1:25am, local time, and will fly to Dhaka after a stopover of one hour and 35 minutes.

Earlier, the BNP chief left the home of her elder son and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman around 7pm (BST) and reached the airport in nearly 40 minutes.

Tarique personally drove his mother to Heathrow Airport and saw her off there.

Khaleda sat in the rear seat beside Tarique, while Dr Zubaida Rahman and her daughter were in the back seats of the car on their way to the airport.

A video posted by Tarique on his verified Facebook page shows him happily seeing his mother off and other entourage at the airport, saying “Allah Hafez”.

Several hundred leaders and activists of the BNP’s UK Chapter gathered near the airport to see Khaleda off.

As the party leaders and workers shouted slogans upon seeing Khaleda’s vehicle, she waved her hand towards them.

Khaleda Zia is accompanied by her two daughters-in-law—Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of her eldest son Tarique Rahman, and Syeda Shamila Rahman, wife of her late son Arafat Rahman Koko—along with other entourage members, including her medical team.

“She is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 10am Tuesday. We hope that she will reach Dhaka on time,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told UNB.

He urged party leaders and activists to remain alert and not cause any traffic jam during their way of giving the BNP chief a reception upon her return home, as there is an SSC exam scheduled for Tuesday.

The BNP Secretary General has also urged law enforcers and party leaders and workers to ensure that no public inconvenience arises during the reception of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Khaleda Zia travelled to London on January 8 in the same special air ambulance sent by the Emir of Qatar.

Upon arrival, she was admitted to the London Clinic, a private hospital, where she remained under the care of renowned specialists Professor Patrick Kennedy and Professor Jennifer Cross for 17 days.

Since 25 January, she has been receiving treatment at the residence of her elder son, Tarique Rahman.

After 17 days at a London clinic, she had since been under the supervision of specialists Prof Patrick Kennedy and Prof Jennifer Cross at Tarique Rahman’s residence.

Meanwhile, the BNP has completed all preparations to give the BNP chief a massive reception on her way back to her Gulshan residence from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Since the BNP chief will be travelling from Dhaka Airport to her residence in Gulshan via the Kakoli route, Fakhrul urged everyone not to stand on the road in any way. “Those who wish to welcome Madam should stand on the footpath and greet her from there. We have instructed that party leaders and activists may hold national and BNP flags while receiving her.”

He also urged the general public to use the elevated expressway from the airport to Kakoli on the day of Khaleda’s return to avoid traffic congestion.

The BNP chief’s Gulshan residence, 'Firoza', located at House 1, Road 80, has been fully prepared to welcome her.

Zubaida’s Homecoming After 17 Years

Tarique Rahman, Dr Zubaida and their daughter Zaima Rahman have been living in London since 2008.

After 17 years in exile, Dr Zubaida Rahman is also returning home with her mother-in-law, with a plan to stay at her father’s Dhanmondi residence.

Her father’s house, known as Mahbub Bhaban, located on Road 5 of Dhanmondi, is also prepared to welcome Zubaida.

Though the house is already well-kept, additional arrangements have been made so that Zubaida can stay there with comfort and security.​
 

Democracy still obstructed at every step, says Khaleda Zia

FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
May 29, 2025 19:22
Updated :
May 30, 2025 00:33

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BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia -- File Photo

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has said that democracy in Bangladesh “is still being obstructed at every step,” and called for its restoration.

Speaking virtually at an event marking the death anniversary of former President Ziaur Rahman on Thursday, she described him as “the unique architect of democracy, independence, press freedom, judicial autonomy, self-reliance, development, and a distinct nationalism.”

“The uninterrupted journey of that democracy – for which he sacrificed his life – is still being obstructed at every step,” said Ms Khaleda, who served twice as the country’s prime minister.

Also the country’s first female head of government, she expressed hope for change, saying, “Very soon, we will see Bangladesh re-established in democracy. Let this be our pledge on Zia’s martyrdom anniversary.”

In her remarks, reflecting on the national and personal pain associated with Zia’s death, the widow of the slain president said it brings “painful memories” to her family and the nation. “On this day, the entire country became grief-stricken and leaderless.”

“Martyred President Ziaur Rahman is a name inseparably tied with our beloved motherland,” she added. “Declaring independence from Chittagong, he made his name inseparable from the country. In that very Chittagong, he sacrificed his life as a successful, honest, farsighted, and true patriot president.”

The octogenarian politician urged her party leaders and citizens to continue efforts to restore democracy in a disciplined manner. “We must honour martyred Zia by implementing the politics he left behind – democracy and development for all,” she said.​
 

Govt hands over title deed of Gulshan house to Khaleda Zia
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. Dhaka 05 June, 2025, 11:50

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Khaleda Zia | File photo

Bangladesh interim government has handed over the title deed of the Gulshan house to Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Adviser to the ministry of Housing and Public Works Adilur Rahman Khan handed over the title deed to Begum Khaleda Zia at around 9:00pm on Wednesday.

Housing and Public Works Secretary Md Nazrul Islam and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartik (RAJUK) Chairman Riazul Islam were present at the time, ABM Abdus Sattar, Private Secretary to Begum Khaleda Zia confirmed.

He said the adviser came with some papers and he gave those to the former prime minister. However, he does not know what kind of paper it is.Digital newspaper subscription

After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman on May 31, 1981, while he was the President of the republic, his wife Khaleda Zia was allotted the house located on one and a half bighas of land in the capital's Gulshan area.

The house is near the house named ‘Firoza’ in Gulshan where Khaleda Zia currently lives in. Apart from this, another house was also allotted to Khaleda Zia inside the Dhaka Cantonment. But, the previous Awami League government cancelled the allocation of the house in the cantonment.

Reliable sources said that the house in Gulshan is under the control of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia although it was not registered to her name. The house was registered in Khaleda Zia’s name after the interim government took office.

Public Works Ministry sources said that the government has already completed the registration of Begum Khaleda Zia's house. The government wanted to formally hand over the registration paper to Khaleda Zia. But the formalities were delayed due to Khaleda Zia's physical condition.​
 

Khaleda Zia 'source of inspiration'
Says Fakhrul as BNP leaders call on party chief on Eid

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Photo: BNP Media Cell

On the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, senior leaders of the BNP paid a courtesy visit to party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan residence tonight.

Following the meeting, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke to reporters, terming the gathering a moment of great joy for the party's central leadership.

"You all know that ever since the fascist Awami League government came to power, they have kept our leader, Begum Khaleda Zia, under house arrest. When she moved between prison and hospital before returning home, we could not meet her properly," Fakhrul told the reporters.

He added that since her release, it has become a tradition for BNP standing committee members to meet her during Eid.

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Photo: BNP Media Cell

"Today's meeting is an incredibly joyful moment for us, especially for the national standing committee members," he said.

Describing the BNP chief as a source of strength, Fakhrul said, "We always find new inspiration from our leader, under whose leadership BNP has achieved many successes and who has brought qualitative change in the country's politics."

He said Khaleda Zia's "unwavering faith in democracy" was evident in her words, and she remained convinced that democratic governance was essential for the welfare of the country and its people.

"Today, we met her and are leaving with great satisfaction. A few senior leaders will meet her later, after which she will spend time with her family members," Fakhrul said, adding that the BNP chief's health has improved.

Fakhrul also conveyed Eid greetings from Khaleda Zia to the people.

"She has sent Eid greetings and love to the nation and has asked for prayers for herself and the country," he said.

When asked about any political discussions during the meeting, particularly regarding the national election timeline, Fakhrul declined to comment.

Among those who visited Khaleda were standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamir Uddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, and AZM Zahid Hossain.

Vice-chairpersons Mohammad Shahjahan, Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain, and Abdul Awal Mintoo were also present.Additionally, advisory council members Abdul Halim and Maj Gen (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar joined the gathering.​
 

Khaleda Zia returns home after health check-up at Evercare Hospital
Staff Correspondent 19 June, 2025, 04:30

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia returned to her residence Firoza in Gulshan, Dhaka shortly after midnight following a health check-up at Evercare Hospital.

Her personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain told reporters that the medical board had completed her tests and decided to continue her treatment at home.

He expressed hope that Khaleda Zia’s physical condition would improve further with home care.

Khaleda Zia had arrived at Evercare Hospital from her residence around 6:50pm.

She returned to Bangladesh on May 6 after receiving advanced treatment for four months in London, UK.

Upon her return, a medical board, led by Professor Shahabuddin Talukder at Evercare Hospital, has been overseeing her medical care.

Prior to her treatment in London, the BNP chairperson had last visited Evercare Hospital on September 12, 2024.​
 

Khaleda Zia calls for maintaining unity to institutionalize democracy

BSS
Published :
Jul 01, 2025 21:54
Updated :
Jul 01, 2025 22:21

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Tuesday called for maintaining unity to institutionalize democracy.

“We must ensure that this stream of blood of July uprising heroes (martyrs) and the stream of tears of mothers do not go in vain. Unity must be maintained. Let us all together realize the dream of Shaheed Zia by building a new Bangladesh,” she said.

Khaleda Zia was virtually addressing a discussion marking the first anniversary of the July-August mass uprising organized by BNP at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center.

The discussion titled ‘Mass Uprising 2024: National Unity and Democratic Movement’ and a special program in honor of the martyrs were held. BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman also addressed the programme virtually.

She said, “We must ensure the security of the people. Above all, we must protect the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh”.

The BNP chief said the Awami League wanted to destroy democracy and perpetuate the one-party rule through the brutal oppression, torture, arrest, murder and murder of the fascists during its over 15 years rule.

“The fascists have fallen through the collective uprising of the student masses. An opportunity has been created to build a new Bangladesh,” she said.

Paying tributes to martyrs and expressing sympathy to injured, Khaleda Zia said the nation will remember their sacrifice forever.

“A list of those who have been victims of disappearances, murders and extrajudicial killings must be prepared. Arrangements must be made for speedy trial of the criminals. Every victim family and their rehabilitation and a safe future must be ensured,” she said.

At the beginning of the program, a documentary titled ‘National Unity and Democratic Movement’ based on the July-August mass uprising was screened.

Various political leaders and martyr family members also spoke.​
 

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