BNP chief Khaleda Zia applies for visa to visit UK

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has applied for visa to go to the United Kingdom for treatment, her party says.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 10 August 2015, 02:57 PM
Updated : 10 August 2015, 04:33 PM

She went to ‘VF Global’ office at Gulshan-2 on Monday evening to submit her visa application.

Khlaeda, accompanied by former diplomat Sabihuddin Ahmed of her advisory panel, completed formalities within half an hour and went home around 6:45pm.

In the morning, her party said the former prime minister would leave for London within a day or two for treatment.

Her elder son Tarique Rahman, accused in a number of cases including one over the grenade attack on an Awami League rally in 2004, has been living in London for the last seven years.

BNP spokesperson Asaduzzaman Ripon said the party chief would stay there for around 10 days.

“She will have to visit the doctor twice,” he said. “For that, she will stay in the UK for about a week or maximum 10 days.”

He, however, did not say anything about the ailments.

But several BNP leaders, familiar with the matter, said the party chief would see an ophthalmologist.

Her lawyers have already sought permission from the court, trying her in two corruption cases, for the planned trip.

It would be her second UK visit since 2006, when she lost office. She visited her son in 2011 on her way back from the US.

BNP leaders said Khaleda met Tarique last year when she went to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. Tarique joined her from London.

Sources in London and Dhaka have confirmed bdnews24.com that he has been living in London with refugee status since his passport expired in 2013.

Khaleda was scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia this year, too, for Umrah but changed plans at the last moment citing the incarceration of top party leaders.

Media reports at the time claimed Tarique would be meeting her during the trip but BNP leaders could not clarify how he would travel to Saudi Arabia without a valid passport.

BNP spokesperson Ripon skirted a direct reply when asked whether Khaleda would meet political leaders during the trip.

“She is a three-time prime minister and a two-time opposition leader,” he said. “She is the chief of the largest party.

“So wherever she travels, there is the matter of meeting prime ministers, foreign ministers and top political leaders, courtesy calls and other stuffs.

“It’s nothing out of the ordinary.”