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Published : 06 May 2025, 08:09 PM
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia received a rousing welcome on Tuesday as she returned to Bangladesh after four months in London for medical treatment.
Thousands of party activists lined the roads from Shahjalal International Airport to her Gulshan residence, Feroza, transforming her homecoming into a powerful show of political strength.
Supporters thronged the airport, cheering as Khaleda embarked on the journey home. Her motorcade took nearly two hours to reach Gulshan 10, with well-wishers showering her with greetings along the way.
Since being imprisoned in 2018, Khaleda never appeared in front of a party gathering in person. It was the first time in seven years that Khaleda appeared in front of so many people supporting the BNP, which is pressing for a general election in December.
Before she arrived in Dhaka, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in front of the airport: "Khaleda Zia's return to the country will ease the path of democracy. Today is a special day for the country and the people."
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.
The Qatari emir’s air ambulance carrying Khaleda touched down at Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport at 10:40am on Tuesday. She then exited the airport at 11:15am and reached her Gulshan residence at 1:26pm.
Thousands of leaders and activists who had lined up along the roads welcomed Khaleda holding up the national and party flags as she waved back.
The leaders and activists raised different slogans including “Khaleda Zia's arrival, welcome greetings”, “Tarique Zia is a hero, he will return to Bangladesh”, “Khaleda Zia is not afraid, we have not left the highway”.
7 AND A HALF YEARS LATER
On Feb 8, 2018, the day Khaleda was jailed in the Zia Orphanage Trust case, Tarique took charge of the party as the acting chairman at a meeting of the BNP Standing Committee.
Since then, Tarique has been running the party from London via online video conferencing for seven and a half years. Fakhrul and some senior leaders have kept the BNP alive by weathering different storms that swept across the country in the meantime.
In 2020, the Awami League government temporarily released Khaleda through an executive order, but two conditions practically confined her to home and hospital. She could no longer be seen in any political activities.
After the shift in the political landscape after Aug 5, the president commuted Khaleda’s sentence and released her entirely. But afflicted by different health issues, she refrained from directly participating in any political programmes of the party, and her journey back home from London practically turned into a political programme.
JOURNEY BACK HOME
The Qatari emir's air ambulance left Heathrow Airport carrying Khaleda at 4:20pm local time on Monday. The jet stopped over in Doha on the way and arrived in Dhaka in the morning.
Khaleda went to London on Jan 7 for treatment. She spent four months at The London Clinic and the home of Tarique.
On the way back, she was accompanied by her two daughters-in-law -- Tarique’s wife Zubaida Rahman and the late Arafat Rahman Coco's wife Syeda Sharmila Rahman -- along with 13 others.
Tarique and his wife Zubaida have been in London since leaving Bangladesh amid the 2008 state of emergency. This is Zubaida’s first trip back to the country since then, though when Tarique will return remains uncertain.
Zubaida is supposed to stay at her father’s house in Dhanmondi on her return.
Khaleda was greeted at the airport by party Fakhrul, Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moin Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Selima Rahman.
BNP had earlier announced that Khaleda’s Gulshan residence Feroza would be fully prepared for her arrival.
Khaleda’s elder sister Selima Islam, younger brother Shamim Iskandar, his wife Kaniz Fatema, Zubaida’s elder sister Shahina Zaman Bindu and their family members were waiting at Feroza to heartily bring the BNP chief home.
Mohila Dal President Afroza Abbas and General Secretary Sultana Ahmed were also present.
JUBILANCE ON THE ROADS
It took over two hours for the motorcade to make the 11.5km journey from the airport to her home. Along the way, the party chief was welcomed by thousands of supporters and party activists.
Though Khaleda usually does not sit in the front passenger seat, she was there today. Her daughters-in-law sat in the back.
The convoy carrying Khaleda left the airport and travelled along Airport Road, Khilkhet, Niketon, Kakoli, Kamal Ataturk Avenue, the Gulshan-2 Roundabout, and Gulshan Avenue before arriving at her home.
Along the way, Khaleda was welcomed by thousands of BNP leaders, activists, and supporters waving national flags and BNP flags. She waved from the car and returned their greetings as she passed.
Extensive security measures were in place surrounding Feroza and the roads in front of it, including the deployment of large numbers of police, army, RAB, and APBn personnel.
TARIQUE’S RETURN
BNP Standing Committee member Zahid Hossain said Tarique will return to Bangladesh in a few days if the “situation permits”.
Speaking outside Feroza on Tuesday, he said “the day is not far” when Tarique would lead the recovery of democracy.
Zahid, who is also Khaleda’s private physician, said: “If Allah wills it, the way the acting chairman is leading from Britain, he will do that not only to lead the BNP but also the struggle to restore and establish democracy.
“Maybe, in a few days, the circumstances will allow for him to arrive [to Bangladesh].
ZUBAIDA VISITS ILL MOTHER AT HOSPITAL
Just hours after returning to the country, Tarique’s wife Zubaida visited her ailing mother at Square Hospital on Tuesday, where the two had an emotional reunion after a long time apart.
She arrived at the hospital’s cabin block around 6pm from Khaleda’s Gulshan residence Feroza, accompanied by the BNP chairperson’s younger brother’s wife Kaniz.
Zubaida’s mother, Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu, has been admitted at the hospital since May 2 due to age-related complications. She resides at the family home “Mahbub Bhaban” in Dhanmondi.
Syeda Iqbal has been suffering from multiple chronic illnesses for several years. She had earlier undergone treatment at a hospital in Bangkok.
The BNP leaders present said Zubaida hugged her mother after entering the cabin, where her elder sister Shahina Zaman was already present. The reunion with family members after years created a deeply emotional atmosphere.
Security had been tightened in advance of Zubaida’s visit to the hospital. She stayed by her mother’s side until 8:30pm.
The party leaders added that Zubaida planned to visit her paternal home later that night before returning to Feroza.
