Khaleda to leave for London on Saturday

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will leave for London on Saturday. She will be there for the treatment of her eyes and legs, and to meet family members, including her elder son Tarique Rahman, according to a close aide.

“The chairperson will leave Dhaka at 7.30 pm on an Emirates flight for London via Dubai,” said the source who refused to be named.

Khaleda's private secretary Abdus Sattar and personal aide Fatema will accompany her on the trip. This will be a long trip for Khaleda, and she is likely to return home after celebrating Eid-ul-Azha with family members, the source added.

Several BNP leaders, including the party’s standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and vice-chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo, are likely to go to London on the same flight, said a senior BNP leader.

Several BNP leaders, who seek party tickets for the next general elections, have already gone to London to lobby their candidature with Tarique Rahman, who is the party’s senior vice-chairman.

A senior leader admitted this, saying that he did not find anything wrong with that. “Tarique Rahman will ultimately lead the party, as his mother is growing old and suffering from many health issues. So, there is nothing wrong about the leaders meeting him to strengthen their case,” he added.

The former premier may stay at Tarique’s home in London. Sharmila Rahman, wife of Khaleda’s younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, and her two daughters are also in London now.

Party insiders felt the fate of many party leaders will be decided in London during Khaleda’s visit, since the two top leaders may decide on the candidates for the next general election.

Some leaders, however, disagreed, saying that Khaleda is still in the driver’s seat and she can take decisions about party candidates. She does not have to go to London and discuss the matter with her son. But she may include a few leaders from Tarique’s list at his request, they believe.

The party leaders said Khaleda and Tarique may discuss different organisational affairs and the latest developments in Bangladesh’s political arena. They may talk about many other issues including the party’s next course of action and the proposal for an election-time supportive government, they added.

BNP joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal termed Khaleda’s trip to London a “family- and treatment-related” matter.

However, he admitted that when the two top leaders of the party get together, politics would certainly be discussed. “We hope that the two leaders talk freely and the directive of the party chairperson would rejuvenate the party rank and file and give the party new momentum,” he said.

Khaleda was supposed to leave for London eight months after her last visit in 2015 for follow-up medical consultation and treatment.

But she has not been able to do so even a year and a half later because of her preoccupation with the party’s organisational matters, said sources.

The party was supposed to place its demand for an election-time supportive government to conduct the next general election. It will now be placed after Khaleda’s return from the UK, said the sources.

Khaleda to leave for London on Saturday

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will leave for London on Saturday. She will be there for the treatment of her eyes and legs, and to meet family members, including her elder son Tarique Rahman, according to a close aide. The chairperson will leave Dhaka at 7.30 pm on an Emirates flight for London via Dubai, said the source who refused to be named. Khaledas private secretary Abdus Sattar and personal aide Fatema will accompany her on the trip. This will be a long trip for Khaleda, and she is likely to return home after celebrating Eid-ul-Azha with family members, the source added. Several BNP leaders, including the partys standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and vice-chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo, are likely to go to London on the same flight, said a senior BNP leader. Several BNP leaders, who seek party tickets for the next general elections, have already gone to London to lobby their candidature with Tarique Rahman, who is the partys senior vice-chairman. A senior leader admitted this, saying that he did not find anything wrong with that. Tarique Rahman will ultimately lead the party, as his mother is growing old and suffering from many health issues. So, there is nothing wrong about the leaders meeting him to strengthen their case, he added. The former premier may stay at Tariques home in London. Sharmila Rahman, wife of Khaledas younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, and her two daughters are also in London now. Party insiders felt the fate of many party leaders will be decided in London during Khaledas visit, since the two top leaders may decide on the candidates for the next general election. Some leaders, however, disagreed, saying that Khaleda is still in the drivers seat and she can take decisions about party candidates. She does not have to go to London and discuss the matter with her son. But she may include a few leaders from Tariques list at his request, they believe. The party leaders said Khaleda and Tarique may discuss different organisational affairs and the latest developments in Bangladeshs political arena. They may talk about many other issues including the partys next course of action and the proposal for an election-time supportive government, they added. BNP joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal termed Khaledas trip to London a family- and treatment-related matter. However, he admitted that when the two top leaders of the party get together, politics would certainly be discussed. We hope that the two leaders talk freely and the directive of the party chairperson would rejuvenate the party rank and file and give the party new momentum, he said. Khaleda was supposed to leave for London eight months after her last visit in 2015 for follow-up medical consultation and treatment. But she has not been able to do so even a year and a half later because of her preoccupation with the partys organisational matters, said sources. The party was supposed to place its demand for an election-time supportive government to conduct the next general election. It will now be placed after Khaledas return from the UK, said the sources.