Khaleda Zia departs London for Dhaka
Published: 06 May 2025, 1:07:39
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia has departed from London en route to Dhaka following nearly four months of advanced medical treatment in the United Kingdom.
She is traveling aboard a special air ambulance provided by the Emir of Qatar, with arrival in Dhaka scheduled for Tuesday morning.
The flight took off from London’s Heathrow Airport at approximately 9:35 PM Bangladesh time (4:10 PM London time) on Monday, according to BNP Chairperson’s Media Cell official Shayrul Kabir Khan.
Earlier in the day, at around 2:10 PM local time, Khaleda Zia departed her son and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s residence in London. Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, her personal physician, confirmed her departure. She was accompanied to the airport by Tarique Rahman, who personally drove the vehicle. Also in the vehicle were her daughters-in-law, Zubaida Rahman and Syeda Shamila Rahman.
Khaleda Zia is expected to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at approximately 10:30 AM on Tuesday. She is accompanied by a medical team and family members, including her two daughters-in-law, making a total of nine people on board.
The former Prime Minister traveled to London on January 8 aboard the same Qatari royal air ambulance to seek advanced treatment for multiple chronic health conditions, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney disease, respiratory complications, cardiac issues, and ophthalmological concerns.
Initially, she was admitted to the London Clinic for intensive care, where she remained under treatment for 17 days. On January 25, she was discharged into home care at Tarique Rahman’s residence. Since then, she has been receiving ongoing treatment under the supervision of prominent physicians, Professor Patrick Kennedy and Professor Jennifer Cross.
