BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will return to the country not on a commercial flight, but by a special air ambulance provided by the emir of Qatar, shared BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
"She is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Monday," Mirza Fakhrul announced in a press conference at the political office of the BNP chairperson in Gulshan on Saturday night.
Mirza Fakhrul confirmed that Khaleda Zia will be accompanied by her two daughters-in-law—Dr Zubaida Rahman and Sharmila Rahman.
He said: "Madam Khaleda Zia has been undergoing treatment in London for the past four months. Initially, she received care at a hospital in the UK, and based on doctors’ advice, she later continued her treatment at the residence of our acting chairman, Tarique Rahman. Her condition has steadily improved each day.
"Thanks to advanced treatment, a peaceful family environment, and the mercy of the Almighty, she is now feeling significantly better. As a result, she has decided to return home.”
He added: “We expect her to arrive on May 5 via a special aircraft—the royal air ambulance provided by the Qatari royal family. However, the exact time is yet to be confirmed, as it depends on permissions from multiple countries. Once finalized, we will inform the public through the media.”
Calling upon party members and the general public, Fakhrul said: “There is great emotional excitement among us as our leader returns home. It is not just the BNP—people across the country are eager to welcome her. We urge our leaders and activists to maintain discipline and avoid causing traffic disruptions while lining the roads to receive her. We recommend welcoming her with the national flag in one hand and the party flag in the other.”
“We also ask the public to position themselves on the Elevated Expressway route from the airport to Kakoli, avoiding the surface roads to keep them clear,” he added.
Praising Khaleda Zia’s legacy, Fakhrul said: “Among female leaders in Asia, Begum Khaleda Zia stands out as one of the most self-sacrificing and persecuted figures in the fight for democracy. She has never bowed to injustice or fascism. In 1971, when her husband, the martyred president Ziaur Rahman, declared the country’s independence, she came to Dhaka with her two young sons, only to be arrested by Pakistani forces.
"She spent nine months in captivity inside a military cantonment. This courageous leader has never compromised on sovereignty or democracy.”
He continued: "Persecuted and imprisoned under false charges by the fascist Hasina regime, she later went to the UK for advanced treatment following a popular uprising. Few female leaders have shown such sacrifice. To us, she is not just a beloved figure—she is a national treasure.
"She is the guiding light in our struggle for democracy, people’s rights, and the protection of independence.”
