Khaleda leaves for London for health check-up, will return after spending Eid with Tarique

Khaleda Zia has left for London for a medical check-up and will return home after spending the Eid-ul-Azha with her eldest son Tarique Rahman.

The BNP chairperson boarded an Emirates Airlines regular flight with several family members and aides and it took off from Shahjalal International Airport at around 9:35pm on Tuesday.

She was accompanied by her younger brother Shamim Eskander, his wife Kaniz Fatema, Khaleda’s Personal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar and maid Fatema Akhter.

The former prime minister entered the airport through the VIP gate after senior BNP leaders saw her off.

Her spokesperson Maruf Kamal Khan earlier told bdnews24.com: “Appointments for her eye treatment and check-up in the UK have already been fixed.”

The BNP chief’s motorcade took the wrong lane to avoid traffic congestion on the way to the airport. Her supporters waved to her lining on either side of the street.

Security at the airport was beefed up for her arrival. The BNP leaders and activists faced bar to enter the terminal because of the extra security measures.

Leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Mohammad Shahjahan, Gholam Akbar Khandker, Asaduzzaman Ripon, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, HabibUn Nabi Khan Sohel, among others, were present.

The number of top leaders was fewer than the previous departures of Khaleda.

One of the BNP leaders told bdnews24.com on condition of anonymity that many did not go to the airport to avoid arrest in cases over corruption and violence.

Nazrul Islam Khan said they requested Khaleda to come back with her family members.

Khaleda’s late younger son Arafat Rahman Coco’s wife Sharmila Rahman Sithi and two daughters Jahiya Rahman and Jaisa Rahman have also flown to London from Malaysia to spend the Eid there.

This is the BNP chief’s second visit to the UK after 2006. She dropped by in London in 2011 to visit Tarique while returning from the US.

The BNP senior vice-chairman has been living in London since 2007 and is wanted for the attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s life in the Aug 21, 2004 grenade attack.

Tarique met Khaleda last year when she went to Saudi Arabia for Umrah.

Arafat Rahman Coco, who lived in Malaysia since 2011, died on Jan 24 this year.

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

In August, she had made preparations to go London but dropped her plans, sparking speculation in political circles.

Before her departure, she met senior party leaders at her Gulshan office Sunday night and urged them to speed up the formation of grassroots-level committees.

Ruling Awami League leaders claim Khaleda is going to London to ‘plot more conspiracies’.