Khaleda Zia departs for London for medical treatment.

Daily Bijoy News Special Correspondent:

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia departed from Dhaka for London on Tuesday night for medical treatment at a renowned healthcare facility. A special air ambulance, provided by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, carrying Khaleda Zia, took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:46 pm.

Senior BNP leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, were present at the airport to see her off. Upon arrival in London, Khaleda Zia will head straight to The London Clinic from Heathrow Airport for treatment.

Earlier in the evening, she left her Gulshan residence, Feroza, around 8:15 pm and arrived at the airport by 10:50 pm. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke at the airport, where he conveyed that Khaleda Zia requested the people of Bangladesh to pray for her recovery.

The BNP leader’s departure was marked by a large turnout of supporters outside her residence in Gulshan, as well as along the route to the airport. Thousands of BNP leaders and activists gathered to show their love and support for the 79-year-old leader, who has been battling serious health conditions.

Security measures were heightened by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), with a strong presence of law enforcement from various units such as Airport Armed Police, RAB, DMP, DB, and SWAT teams. At the airport, the special air ambulance arrived at the VIP terminal on Monday, a Qatar Royal Family’s Airbus A319, equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities, essentially functioning as a "flying ICU."

According to BNP Standing Committee member Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, Khaleda Zia will travel via Doha before being transferred directly to The London Clinic. He confirmed that her son, Acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, along with his wife, Zubaida Rahman, their granddaughter, Zaima Zarnaz Rahman, and party officials from the UK, would welcome her at Heathrow.

Dr. Zahid further explained that Khaleda Zia’s treatment will be coordinated by the medical team at The London Clinic, who will assess her condition and determine the next steps. Khaleda Zia has been struggling with multiple health issues, including liver cirrhosis, kidney, heart, lung, and eye problems, and diabetes. Dr. Zahid mentioned that the liver transplant decision will be made at The London Clinic after further examination.

If necessary, doctors may consider treatment at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in the US, but only after consulting with specialists in London. Although Khaleda Zia has shown interest in performing Umrah, no decisions have been made regarding this.

Previously, on 26 October 2023, three US specialists conducted a procedure to address complications caused by her liver condition. Doctors had been advising that Khaleda Zia seek treatment abroad since her liver diagnosis in November 2021. However, the previous government had denied her permission to travel for medical care.

This marks Khaleda Zia's second medical trip abroad, the first being in 2017 when she traveled to London for treatment. It will also be her first reunion with her son, Tarique Rahman, in over seven years. Since her release from jail on 6 August 2024 through a presidential order following mass uprisings that ousted the government, this will be her first trip abroad.

Her family had long been requesting permission for her to seek medical treatment outside the country, but it had been denied by the previous regime. As of now, with Khaleda Zia’s departure, no member of the Zia family remains in Bangladesh, amid rumors of a potential political conspiracy to implement a “minus two” formula targeting the BNP’s top leadership.

Daily Bijoy News/ Junayed