Khaleda Zia returning home in view of ‘crisis’ in Bangladesh, says BNP

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is returning home from London on Saturday without ‘completing her treatment’, her party says.

BNP spokesperson Asaduzzaman Ripon on Thursday said Khaleda would arrive on an Emirates flight on Nov 21.

She went to London on Sep 15 for medical treatment and has been staying there with her elder son Tarique Rahman’s family.

Her lawyers Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Sanaullah Mia told reporters about Khaleda’s date of return after a hearing in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case, in which she is an accused.

“I’ve been told by the party office that Madam (Khaleda) will be back on Saturday,” Sanaullah said.

The news of her imminent return comes a day after the apex court rejected BNP Standing Committee member Salauddin Quader Chowdhury’s petition seeking a review of his death sentence.

“Our Chairperson Khaleda Zia is returning home without completing her treatment in view of the political crisis in the country,” Ripon told reporters.

In London, Khaleda attended two party programmes.

Ruling Awami League leaders have held her responsible for the killing of two foreigners and attacks on checkpoints that left two policemen dead.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has alleged the BNP chief is plotting the country’s destabilisation in order to derail the war crimes trials.

But the BNP counters the charge, saying the government is blaming the party, having failed to on the security front.

Khaleda’s unusually long stay abroad had fuelled speculation that she might not return.

When asked on Monday whether the government would prevent her return home, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said: “We won’t. Rather we’ll welcome them (Khaleda and Tarique).”

Khaleda is accused in several cases relating to violence. Tarique, who faces arrest in other cases, has been living in the UK since 2008.