The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is abuzz with anticipation as Chairperson Khaleda Zia prepares to return home on Monday, May 5, after four months of medical treatment in London.
Her arrival, via a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight, will see fervent preparations in Sylhet and Dhaka, though health concerns may limit direct interactions.
Khaleda Zia will depart London’s Heathrow Airport at 6:20pm Sunday on flight BG-202, landing at Sylhet Osmani International Airport at 9:05 am Monday. After a one-hour stopover, she will continue to Dhaka, arriving at 10:50 am. Sylhet District BNP President Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury and Metropolitan President Rezaul Hasan Qays Lodi expressed the emotional weight of her arrival on “the holy land of Shahjalal and Shahparan (R).”
BNP leaders and activists plan to gather peacefully outside Osmani Airport to greet her, though meeting her depends on her approval, given her health. “Our presence will convey our devotion,” Chowdhury said.
In Dhaka, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir convened a joint meeting with Dhaka Metropolitan leaders and affiliates at his Gulshan office to organise the reception.
Senior leaders, including Standing Committee members, will welcome Khaleda Zia on the airport tarmac. As her convoy travels from the airport to her Gulshan residence, ‘Firoza,’ supporters will line the route to cheer her arrival.
Retired Major General Fazle Elahi Akbar and Brigadier General (Retd.) AKM Shamsul Islam Shams are coordinating security, liaising with law enforcement to ensure a smooth event.
While excitement runs high, some BNP leaders caution that Khaleda Zia’s health may prevent immediate meetings. “Her treatment was extensive, so we’ll express our support through our presence,” a party source noted. The focus remains on a dignified, orderly welcome.
Khaleda Zia traveled to London on January 8 for advanced treatment under Professor Patrick Kennedy and Professor Jennifer Cross.
After 17 days in a clinic, she stayed at her son Tarique Rahman’s residence. She is accompanied on her return by daughters-in-law Dr Zubaida Rahman and Syeda Shamila Rahman.
The former prime minister’s homecoming follows her release from corruption charges in 2024, marking a significant moment for the BNP and its supporters.