Khaleda flying to Bangladesh with daughters-in-law

Zubaida and Sharmila are accompanying the BNP chief on her return trip

After a heartfelt parting with her elder son Tarique Rahman, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is flying to Bangladesh on her return journey home after four months of treatment in London.

An air ambulance of the Qatari emir carrying Khaleda and her two daughters-in-law, Tarique’s wife Zubaida Rahman and Syeda Sharmila Rahman, the wife of late Arafat Rahman Coco, took off from Heathrow Airport at 4:20pm local time.

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

Party activists gathered in droves at the airport to see her off.

Tarique and his wife Zubaida have been in London since leaving Bangladesh amid the 2008 state of emergency. This will be Zubaida’s first trip back to the country since then, though when Tarique will return remains uncertain.

Addressing the BNP activists at the airport, Khaleda pointed at Tarique and urged: “Take care of your brother.”

The 79-year-old three-time prime minister has long suffered from liver cirrhosis, kidney disease, heart problems, diabetes, and arthritis. She left for London on Jan 7 in a special air ambulance arranged by the Qatari emir.

She was treated by Patrick Kennedy and Jennifer Cross at the London Clinic and stayed there for 17 days before moving to Tarique’s home.

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

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have been tasked to supervise traffic on the Airport Road when she returns. The public has been asked to refrain from traversing areas stretching from “Gulshan/Banani to Uttara” as much as possible.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir 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.